DOGFLUENCERS: Meet Vinnie, The Bay Area's Happiest Golden Retriever

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 Daria (Vinnie'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?

Ward: In December of 2021, I graduated from college and was looking into getting my first puppy. A month later, I came across Vinnie's photo. I knew Vinnie had something special after seeing his adorable puppy photos. He was full of smiles! At that moment, I knew he was the one. After seeing how photogenic he was as a puppy, I thought it would be fun to start documenting his life on Instagram! My educational background is in broadcast and electronic communication arts, and marketing, so I thought it would be a good idea to combine my love for dogs with my skills in video editing. We started by sharing puppy photos and our daily life watching other dogs. Eventually, we started posting photos with products that we love and attended dog events in the Bay Area. That’s when we discovered our love for small pet businesses and travel. From there, we created a series called Vinnie’s Travel Diaries which documents many of our adventures together. These diaries often showcase pet products from small pet businesses and a recap of the event. We’ve been able to meet so many amazing people through these events!

What do you think sets your dog apart from other dogs on social media? What makes them unique or particularly interesting to your followers?

Ward: Vinnie's smile and bright personality sets him apart from other dogs! What you see on social media is exactly what you'll see with Vinnie in person. He's adventurous, funny, and loves making others smile! People often ask how we get him to pose for photos, and the silly thing is, he just does it! He’ll sometimes find a spot and start posing for a photo without me telling him to. Our followers frequently comment about how friendly and happy he is! He just loves spreading love, happiness, and support for small pet businesses!

How do you come up with ideas for your dog's posts and content? Do you have a specific creative process?

Ward: Much of our content is about small businesses, pet products, and travel! Occasionally, we’ll jump on the bandwagon and do a trendy reel that other creators are doing. To help us stay organized we use Notion! It’s super helpful when researching different products and businesses. When we work with pet brands, we make sure to research the business and its products. We then write that information down in a template that we created. The next step is to record a video and have a photo shoot with the product. We then compile video footage and edit it together in Capcut or Adobe Premiere Pro. After that, we write a caption and find relevant hashtags. It is a good idea to have the post and reel ready at the same time by creating a draft. Finally, we are ready to post! It is a similar process when we post our travel diaries, which recap dog events or places that we went. We like to be a bit more creative with our diaries, which have more of an aesthetic journal vibe. It often takes about a week or so to complete a travel diary.

Have you ever faced any challenges or negativity on social media, and how have you dealt with it?

Ward: The challenge we face the most is posting consistently. Ideally, I would love to post as much as possible. But that isn’t realistic! I like to take a creative approach with my reels which often take days to edit. I have a big habit of scrapping videos due to being a perfectionist! Somedays I will have an idea and edit it together, but in the end, I change my mind about the video. I still have footage from 2022 and 2023 that I want to edit together. One of my goals this year is to create a more structured schedule and be more organized.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own dog influencer account or share their dog on social media?

Ward: If you’re interested in starting your own Instagram for your dog, go for it! It’s so much fun! I’ve met a lot of small pet business owners and have had the opportunity to try out new products and create amazing videos! The dog community on Instagram is so welcoming and I’ve been able to meet so many amazing pet parents! Who knew I'd be at an event with over 100+ goldens, or invited to a dog's birthday party!

How has your dog influenced your life outside of social media?

Ward: Vinnie has been a huge influence in my life! He has made me more adventurous and has helped me greatly with my anxiety. I am a very introverted person who often isn’t the best with conversations. However, I’ve been able to connect with a lot of different pet owners through dog events and at the dog park. I have traveled more than I ever did before. We’ve gone to so many places! San Diego, Palm Springs, and Los Angeles to name a few. He makes me want to explore more and do more with my life. I never thought I’d have the perfect partner to make videos and experience life with. My dog really is my best friend!

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?

Ward: One of the funniest moments we’ve had was in San Diego at Belmont Park. It’s an amusement park that is packed with Instagram-worthy photo opportunities. One of them was a hot air balloon. We were taking a photo and he was standing in the hot air balloon. It was funny to see people’s reactions to him standing for a photo. They would be walking by, but take a second glance and smile when they realized a dog was posing for a photo.

What is your favorite thing about being a dog influencer?

Ward: My favorite part about being a dog influencer is making these memories with my dog. It's always so fun to meet new dogs, explore new places, and try new things! The best thing about it is that I'm experiencing this with my best friend! When we document our journey we're able to look back and be like "We both had so much fun!" Most of these experiences I probably wouldn't have had without my dog.

Lastly, what's next for you and your dog on social media? Any exciting plans or projects in the works?

Ward: We plan to make more travel diaries and attend more dog events this year. One event we are very excited about is Goldie Palooza in Southern California. I would also like to travel internationally one day and have my own little photography studio to make videos and take photos.