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 Kaitlin (Chloe'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?
Sipes: My dog has been a huge part of life since I was young. I became obsessed with shelties when I was 7 years old and finally got Chloe when I was 14. I started her Instagram right away in 2014 but that was before "influencers" really became a thing. I mainly wanted somewhere to share her photos as she grew up. I went to college when Chloe was 4 and stopped posting because I didn't live with her (she was at my parents house). After college I moved to Los Angeles and finally got to bring Chloe to live with me. That's when I started her account back up, not with the intention of becoming an influencer but just as a fun place to share her journey in LA (she moved from Washington state to my parents house in Alabama and now all the way to LA, quite the journey!). I also decided to make her a tiktok at this time as she has such a fun personality and her breed is pretty unique to the dog-fluencer world so I thought why not? This is really where our journey as an influencer began. She quickly gained a following on tiktok after people believed she looked fake because she can lip sync (she knows a whole arsenal of fun tricks!). After I realized the opportunity that was in my lap I started taking it a bit more seriously and making an effort to post on all her socials as well as start doing collabs. So while we didn't set out to become influencers, we are so incredibly blessed and excited that the interent has welcomed us to share our life and journey online and we look forward to what the future has in store!
What do you think sets your dog apart from other dogs on social media? What makes them unique or particularly interesting to your followers?
Sipes: Like I mentioned before Chloe has a HUGE personality as well as knowing a long list of useless (yet very entertaining) tricks. Yes she is adorable, but I think her ability to Lip sync and make skits with me really sets her apart from other dog influencers. Many of my followers believe she is a "human in disguise" because of how well she can act. She also is a breed that not too many people are aware of. Especially in LA, shelties (Shetland Sheepdogs) are rare to come by and people love seeing such a cute and unique breed that is vastly underrated.
How do you come up with ideas for your dog's posts and content? Do you have a specific creative process?
Sipes: I have a few different ways that I like to keep my content different and entertaining. Ofcourse I post just parts of our daily lives living in LA but I also like to post skits and trends as well as dress Chloe up (she is so patient with me). For my creative process I see what is trending like current audios or themes and then I see how I can twist it to fit with dogs or Chloe in particular. I think alot of dog creators might get pigeon-holed into thinking they can only follow dog/ pet themed trends, but I find it really fun to take any trend and turn it into my own with Chloe. For example the trend of "get ready with me" or "Makeup tutorials" have always been big. Ofcourse I'm not going to put makeup on my dog, but I pretend to get her ready and do a fake makeup routine from my dogs perspective and people love it! Anything you see can be turned into dog content if you're creative enough!
Have you ever faced any challenges or negativity on social media, and how have you dealt with it?
Sipes: Unfortunately, there will always be negativity on social media. I've learned the best way to deal with it is either ignore it, or turn it into something positive that benefits you. I like to see challenges and negativity as an opportunity for growth. While many people online adore Chloe, she surprisingly gets many comments saying they "Hate her" or are "scared of her" and she has even received a few death threats all because people are afraid she is a "skinwalker" or "man in disguise". These comments are honestly really entertaining and comical to me, I usually just laugh and ignore them. But occasionally I will use them to my advantage such as making a reaction video to hate comments or even doing a video where I pretend Chloe is actually a human in disguise. You just have to run with it, haters are the best motivators and they can provide you with fantastic content ideas. In the end, social media will never exist without negativity but it's all about how you can handle it and turn it into something better.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own dog influencer account or share their dog on social media?
Sipes: Do it! Most people don't even try because they are scared someone they know will find the account or judge them, but who cares? If you have fun with it and you want to do it, then you have to get past the fear of judgement. It's such a great way to bond with your pet and you never know the opportunity it can bring. Also, be original. The influencer world (especially pet industry) is so over crowded with everyone trying to be the same. Pick something that is unique to your dog and market that. Maybe your dog has a funny bark or knows a super cute trick, dig deep into that and set yourself apart.
How has your dog influenced your life outside of social media?
Sipes: My dog has made me 1000% more social. I'm a pretty introverted person on my own, but when I have Chloe with me it's like I'm given the opportunity to have an instant conversation starter. I've met so many friends because of Chloe and gone on adventures that I would never have gone on alone. She's really my best friend and I have her to thank for giving me more confidence.
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?
Sipes: There's a ton, she's such a character, but if I had to pick one recently I was making content about a hands free leash and as I was on a walk with her in a very busy park she suddnely saw a squirrel (her biggest weakness). I was right in the moment of trying to film a nice leisurely walking video and she started pulling on me and going crazy, keep in mind the leash is wrapped around my waist. Now I could've just calmed her down and kept walking but I decided to let her chase the squirrel with me attached to the leash and we ran around the park chasing a squirrel together. Everyone at the park definitely probably thought we were crazy or that I couldn't control my dog, but it was fun! I now understand why dogs like to chase squirrels!
What is your favorite thing about being a dog influencer?
Sipes: My favorite thing about being a dog influencer is definitely how much time I get to spend with my dog and new adventures we get to experience together. Before being a dog influencer, I would ofcourse do things with Chloe like going to the park or beach, but now it's elevated. We get to explore new places to make content and we are given opportunities to go to events where before a dog probably wouldn't be able to go. As a normal influencer you can be invited to things and just go by yourlself, but as a dog influencer Chloe is invited along with me and I'm so thankful we get to share those moments together.
Lastly, what's next for you and your dog on social media? Any exciting plans or projects in the works?
Sipes: My social media plans for the year are mainly to just keep growing! I want to expand our content to more platforms like YouTube, etc and really just keep making fun content. I am getting to know my fellow dog-fluencers in LA and hope do some more collabs soon. Speaking of, recently Chloe has actually started "dating" Oatmeal the golden retiever (@Adriabarich) and that collaboration is so much fun, the content of both dogs is so adorable and I hope to make lots of new content with the 2 of them this year.
