Top Dog influencers. All You Need to Know About Them

Dog mom, filming with her dog.

What is a dog influencer?

A dog influencer is a dog who has amassed a whopping following on social media and has acquired, through trust with its followers, the ability to influence them to buy a product or service. And they gain the support of their followers by publishing quality content that intrigues them.

A dog influencer has the power to affect the purchasing decisions of dog loving people because of his/her authority.

According to journalist Shane Snow, who studies human behavior, the more generous a person is, the more influential they are:

This comes down to the hidden psychology of trust. Most of us instinctively try to build trust by proving to people how good we are at things. But it turns out that subconsciously the most important element of trust for us is how benevolent we think the other person is toward us. So a person—whether it’s an Influencer with a capital I or just a human who wants to be influential—will gain more trust by being generous than by displaying competence.

What makes one human more influential than another is not ultimately a function of the setting, but a function of their generosity, their ability to inspire awe, their ability to introduce new things to our lives, and their ability to help us find value and feel valued.

And this is exactly what dog influencers do. They invite us into their homes, make us feel special, and introduce new things into our lives.

Top 5 dog influencers

When you watch videos of a cute dog on Instagram that you like, you start to think:

1. This dog makes me happy…

2. This dog is adorable…

3. This dog is letting me into its life.

But SUBCONSCIOUSLY, you start to think something else too:

I. Trust. This. Dog.

Even after an influencer has recommended a product to you and you buy it, you may not realize that they “sold it” to you because of the expertise or authority they have in your eyes.

1. Jiffpom

Jiff, a Pomeranian with 9.7 million Instagram followers, hails as the most popular dog on social media. And it’s easy to see why...

Jiff’s poppin’ outfits and foxy face make him the most talked about Pomeranian in the world. The Insta star spends his time skateboarding, starring in Target and Banana Republic commercials, and making brand deals with brands like @justrightpetfood.

Interesting facts about Jiff? He has released his own book, played in movies, and has two Guinness World Records for his speed. Oh, and did I mention he has been featured in a Katy Perry Music video? 

More about the most popular dog on Instagram

• The Pomeranian has his own emoji line;

• Fits perfectly into a handbag;

• Has a love for bagels with cream cheese.

Follow Jiffpom on Instagram

2. Doug the Pug

Doug is not your average pug. He has been featured in TIME magazine, played alongside Demi Lovato in a Fall Out Boy video, and, in his spare time, hangs out with John Legend and Justin Bieber.

When he isn’t writing children’s books or signing brand deals, he spends his days in Nashville, Tennessee creating great content for his 18 million collective followers.

Follow Doug on Instagram

3. Tucker Budzyn

Often spotted on YouTube, Tucker, a retriever with a gorgeous mane, is the most adored golden retriever on Instagram. And we can see why—look at that face! Who could resist?

Still, what could be better than one adorable golden?

Yes… two! 

Enter… Tucker’s son, Tod.

If you want a father-son duo, tune into Tucker and Tod’s Instagram account and watch them chat up a storm.

Follow Tucker and Tod on Instagram

4. Maya

It’s true that Maya can’t stop smiling—Samoyeds are famous for their laughing faces. But once you start watching Maya, you can’t stop. In fact, you could spend a whole Friday night watching her. No wonder her 1.9 million followers are addicted to her.

Follow Maya on Instagram and never feel sad again

5. Manny The Frenchie

He usually is huffing and puffing, but with that squashed bulldog face… he can’t help it. Who wouldn’t want his little harness for their dog? Look at that face. Such innocence.

Follow Manny The Frenchie

Top 5 puppy influencers

1. Tod Budzyn, Tucker’s son

Technically, Tod’s not a pup anymore, but he’s still one influential adolescent. Yes, that’s Tucker on the right—father and son.

Tod’s gaining popularity in leaps and bounds, and we can see why—look at his jolly smile.

Follow Tod and his dad on Instagram

2. PuppiesOfInstagram

Embed Instagram post in WordPress:

You can never have too many videos of puppies in your Instagram feed. 

And if you want to see the cutest ones, follow the PuppiesOfInstagram to get your daily dose of cuteness

3. PuppyTribe

The PuppyTribe also post adorable photos of pups.

Look at this little guy chomping his foot.

Follow the PuppyTribe on Instagram

4. FosterDogNYC

If you’re like me, you love looking at foster dogs too.

Maybe you’ll see a deaf or blind dog—an unadoptable hound. In which case, you’ll immediately go fetch him and take him home!

Follow FosterDogs on Instagram so that you don’t miss out on the unadoptables

PuppiesForAll

Five is a good number of puppy accounts to follow on Instagram.

For unique cuteness, follow PuppiesForAll on Instagram

Top 5 lifestyle influencers with dogs

Social media dog influencers post fun and interesting content and share stories of their daily lives. After a while, followers start to trust the dog influencer. So when they recommend a brand or a product that they like, a dedicated follower is more likely to buy that dog product or service as well.

In the list below we included some lifestyle influencers with dogs. These are famous people that include their dog(s) on in their content strategy.

1. Selena Gomez

We’ve seen her laugh, cry, fight Lupus, struggle through heartache, and survive a kidney transplant. But through all that—years of painful situations—she’s remained consistent, and successful. A voice for Mexican women and for those who battle mental illness. 

When Selena recommends a product or backs a brand, it doesn’t feel like a celebrity is “selling” you something. No. Your friend, Selena, someone you know and love, someone who cares about you, is helping you find the comfiest shoe, the perfect foundation, and maybe—because she has two delightful dogs, Winnie and Daisy—the best dog product?

Ask yourself: does Selena influence you?

Would you buy your dog a supplement backed by Selena Gomez?

You know the answer.

Follow Selena on Instagram

2. Suga of BTS

Suga’s brown poodle Min Holly is, undoubtedly, adorable. And with over 39.9 million followers, imagine what would happen if Suga received sponsorship from a dog clothing brand. Some of the photos of Holly have received over 17 million likes. Need we say more?

How many of Suga’s followers would buy a pet product the K-pop star recommends?

Would you be one of them?

Follow Suga on Instagram

3. Kourtney Kardashian

Yes, Kourtney’s on the list, too. And for good reason.

Kourtney’s brand Poosh is pushing out profits, and the lifestyle influencer has just married popular drummer Travis Barker.

We like listening to her talk about Matcha, eat salads, and obsess over gluten-free, sugar-free snacks. Another reason to like Kourtney? She owns two dogs: Honey the Pomeranian and Cub the golden retriever.

Would Kourtney’s obsession with healthy eating convince you to buy a new dog supplement if she backed it?

We think so.

Follow Kourtney Kardashian on Instagram

RM from rkive

Everyone loves RM, and they love his dog Monie, short for Rapmon, too. The BTS leader’s little white dog is a male American Eskimo and is as cute as a button.

With Monie’s white fluff, would you buy a fluff roller recommended by RM?

We all need a good fluff roller. One that lasts forever.

Follow @RMPICS_twt

Georgina Ronaldo

From a video uploaded to YouTube, it’s clear that Georgina loves her Chinese Crested dog, Antonia—nicknamed “La Toni”.

It’s true that many people aren’t fans of hairless hounds, but hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people adore them.

Georgina has 39.1 million followers on Instagram, and according to hypeauditor.com, her influence is growing. 

Would you buy a Chinese Crested dog?

Follow Georginagio

Why you should consider becoming a dog influencer

If you want to share your adorable dog with the world, create a profile for him on Instagram or start a YouTube channel. Or better—start both. However, before you do this, your formula for becoming a dog influencer should have two main ingredients:

Love your dog the most—not fame or money.

And…

Genuinely care about your followers and inspire to help them solve their dog problems.

And, of course, don’t expect overnight success. Dog influencers that truly care about their dogs have a way of making people happy with their content—content that takes time to make.

Pro's & con's normal dog vs. dog influencer:

Dog influencers and their humans seem to live exciting lives. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be challenges. 

It can be difficult to “manage” your dog as a business, as well as put him first. The truth is, what is best for your business, for example, traveling, may not always be good for your dog. More meet-and-greets equal more money, but long trips can take a toll on a dog, even a pup.

One of the biggest disadvantages of being a dog influencer is privacy—lack of it. You’ll likely get photographed everywhere you go, and mistakes are amplified when you’re in the public eye. 

Dog influencers need to know when to promote what brands—what to put in front of followers—and when to decline an offer. Partnership with the wrong brand or product could mean public scrutiny or backlash. 

Become a dog influencer with a cause

In the end, dog influencers’ owners are responsible for what they bring awareness to, and what they don’t.

Besides posting pictures and videos of their dogs, dog influencers usually stand for something more than just gaining followers, sponsorships, and brand deals. For example, the Doug the Pug Foundation helps bring awareness to children battling cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

If a dog influencer’s platform on social media brings about positive change in the world, then their content should be celebrated. Still, this change, shouldn’t cost the dog influencer. A dog must get to be a dog.

The biggest motivation—pro—of becoming a dog influencer is financial. It’s true that money can change your life. And being backed by a popular brand will mean hundreds, if not millions, of dollars in your bank account. 

MONEY = NEW LIFESTYLE

Why brands work with dog influencers

Dog influencers have large audiences, known as followers. Followers that are influenced by the food the influencers eat, the clothes they wear, and the supplements they take. (Yes, I’m talking about dogs.)

Ultimately…

FOLLOWERS = POTENTIAL BUYERS

By the way creative way dog influencers deliver their content, they can make a brand look appealing with strategic content strategies. And the more they post about a product, the more attention the brand gets.

Dog influencer Q&A:

Who is the most famous dog influencer?

Jiffpom—and for good reason…

He is the CUTEST dog in the world!

How do I become a dog influencer?

7 key ingredients to becoming a successful dog influencer:

1. Love your dog and put it first.

2. Start an Instagram account.

3. See what makes other dog influencers popular by spying on their accounts, and then create your own unique strategy.

4. Create epic content and gain followers—but don’t expect overnight success. It may take longer than a year for your account to gain traction.

5. Support a good cause, don’t just amass followers for the sake of promoting products. Support a shelter, give to charity, or start a foundation.

6. Wait before you ask for something from your followers, first gain their trust.

7. Only support brands that are ethical. Most importantly, remember that, eventually, you could have millions of followers—but you only have one dog, your best friend. He’s your main priority.

Dog influencer quote

Influence will come

influence will go

But your pup’s love is a sure thing forever, you know.

So shine a light on other dogs too, why help one when you can help a few

So pick up your torch and log in today—upload a photo that will make others say,

“I want one like him, a fluffy Jiffpom, but why buy a purebred when I can adopt one or two, from a shelter next door, yes, right next to you.”

The SPCA—find a shelter wherever you go in the world

Natalie Wilkinson