Welcome to the ultimate destination for dog enthusiasts and social media mavens alike. At Dogfluencers, we're passionate about showcasing the best and brightest in the world of four-legged fame.
Whether you're looking for adorable photos, heartwarming stories, or expert tips on how to turn your own pup into a social media star, we've got you covered.
Today we got the honor of interviewing Dana (Riot's Human). You can find a direct link to their Instagram here.
Here is their story:
Can you tell us about your journey to becoming a dog influencer? What inspired you to start sharing your dog's adventures on social media?
Dana: We just joined the dog influencer community in July 2023. We adopted Riot at 6 weeks old and I was in awe by his markings and super blue eyes. I’ve heard of people having social media for their pets and thought we should give it a try, as I thought Riot was way too cute not to share with the world. So we started Riot’s page for enjoyment and to follow other dog’s journeys as well. I have no human children so my dogs are my kids. Riot also has 3 fur siblings - Cheddar, Gus, and Taffy who are all rescues with past traumas. I was not expecting the world of dog influencing to be so intriguing, enjoyable, and honestly a vice to distress and smile - I knew at this point I was happy to share Riot with the social media community and continue to grow with other dog accounts and small businesses alike!
What do you think sets your dog apart from other dogs on social media? What makes them unique or particularly interesting to your followers?
Dana: Riot has markings and bright blue eyes that make him stand out when scrolling through feeds. He also has quite the personality and lives up to his name, so some stories, antics, and silly pictures will also be featured to make sure we share not only products we love, but his life, adventures, and activities with everyone. His middle name is “what are you doing?” So you can only imagine some of the things he gets into being an 11 month old puppy.
How do you come up with ideas for your dog's posts and content? Do you have a specific creative process?
Dana: There is definitely no specific process for us. We are blessed to have the beautiful Arizona scenery around us - so I love utilizing products, bandanas, and leashes that match the desert aesthetic but also scream adventure when we’re taking pictures. Blues and bright colors have to be the favorite! I video Riot doing some funny stuff and it ends up making content for some of the video reels while pairing with captions or music that relates. In addition, we just got a professional camera a few months ago. I’ve been so inspired by all of the beautiful pictures I’ve seen in this community and always had an interest. I thought it would be the perfect time to dive into a new hobby and explore photography - I would eventually love to start a pet photography small business because I love all of the dogs and pets! I gravitate towards the funny reels from other influencers so they are also inspiration when thinking of ideas for future posts.
Have you ever faced any challenges or negativity on social media, and how have you dealt with it?
Dana: I can honestly say that in joining the Instagram world community, Riot and I have got to meet some amazing individuals who are not only creative and love dogs as much as I do, but very real and relatable. We’ve even had the opportunity to meet some of our insta-friends in person and I never thought the connections I made would result in sending/receiving holiday cards, joining support groups for tips on influencing, genuine friendships, and real mentoring. I do not engage in any drama as I do not need any negativity so I try to stay positive. I think the only negative we’ve experienced is not getting selected to rep for brands we really love, however, it only makes me want to take Riot on more adventures and create better and higher quality content for the next search!
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own dog influencer account or share their dog on social media?
Dana: Dive in! You’ve got nothing to lose! And who doesn’t want to see a cute dog post on the regular? While I strive to continue growing, the network of people I’m involved with currently are amazing, supportive, and awesome and I’m thankful I took the opportunity when I had the chance.
How has your dog influenced your life outside of social media?
Dana: As I said before, my dogs are my biggest loves- as I don’t have any human children. I am a registered nurse and completing my masters at the moment - so life is busy, but our dogs always make a busy, stressful day seem great when I get home! Riot changed my perspective on dog ownership. We’ve always rescued adult dogs - Riot is our youngest dog and we raised him since he was 6 weeks old. He needed trained, neutered, fed differently. It was a whole new world but I learned a lot about responsible and healthy dog ownership. He’s gone through Petsmart training classes with our amazing trainer and is now in the advanced class learning to read! What?! The ability of dogs as a whole, especially this smart boy, continues to amaze me every day. Riot continues to keep us on our feet- he’s a great dog and super smart - but he’ll want a food reward in order to do things - so we’re working on that part! Riot and his siblings keep me active, give me smiles all the time, and genuinely bring a lot of the joy into my life. I love watching all of their personalities mesh and interact - it is so cute and adorable. While it is sometimes eventful at our house with 4 rescue pups, it is definitely the only way id have it!
Can you tell us about a particularly memorable or funny moment you've had with your dog during one of your photo shoots or adventures?
Dana: I think the best part of all of these pictures is knowing we caught him perfectly in about 1.5 seconds that he decided to sit still and that on the other end of the camera, near the lens, you can be assured that there is a treat right next to it.
What is your favorite thing about being a dog influencer?
Dana: Honestly, there’s two favorite parts. 1) seeing all of the other dog’s content and pictures and scrolling through. Seeing all the different breeds, cute faces, and funny content - as well as amazing fashion and accessories just makes my day! 2) The support of the dog influencer community and the people I’ve met along the way. These individuals are just so supportive, amazing - and the small business owners we rep for and ordered from are beyond talented, creative, and so genuine. The passion they exude makes us want to continue unwavering support for them and they help me make sure Riot is always in style and eating healthy and delicious snacks!
Lastly, what's next for you and your dog on social media? Any exciting plans or projects in the works?
Dana: I’m planning on exploring Arizona more on the days off and bringing Riot along for the ride. I’ve loved the ability to watch Riot grow up and scroll through the past posts- I can’t wait to take more pictures and videos to share with everyone! My only goal for the future is to make people smile, laugh, or both by sharing Riot with everyone. I know he loves the attention!
