Dog eat dog world: The top 10 dogs of Instagram and where your pooch places
"Relax is my favourite," said Melbourne's Tofu Pudding Jones, kicking back on September 5. Photo: Instagram
Fans can’t keep their hands off Instagram celebrity Tofu Chan. And he doesn’t mind a bit.
The handsome red shiba inu gets loved up by locals on the streets of Melbourne’s Collingwood when he’s exploring the ’hood with his human, Dylan Jones, and social media has brought him fans around the globe.
TofuPupper has more than 63,000 followers on Instagram, 28,000 likes on his Facebook page – he’s described as a “motivational speaker” – and almost 9000 subscribers on his new YouTube channel (‘Tofu gets a donut’ tells the neatly circular story of his journey to Melbourne’s Shortstop Coffee and Donuts to fetch a sweet treat).
Tofu, who’s not yet three, is both humble and matter of fact about why he’s a rising star. “I’m very pretty,” he tells The New Daily.
He’s polite but tight-lipped about his personal life: “I like treats and I am very spicy. Chicken in any form is my favourite food.”
Pressed to please explain a video where he asks followers to send him bread, Tofu deflects: “I know dogs are not meant to eat bread, but I have not told people what I’m doing with the bread, because it’s a secret.”
Mr Jones explains: “I love Tofu so much and I want people to see him the way I see him.
“Everyone loves him when they meet him on the street and just posting photos of him didn’t really tell his story. We had to do something different.”
Shiba inus are one of six original spitz breeds native to Japan, so Tofu’s uplifting messages – “If you ever feel sad or scared, remember time when you feeled happy” – are translated into Japanese subtitles.
Mr Jones has enlisted filmmaker friend Josef Gatti to shoot the Tofu videos, which are steadily taking the dog’s fame to the next level.
Celeb-dogs galore
Still, Tofu’s pawprint in the #DogsofInstagram world is small: There are dogs with millions of followers and entire businesses built around them. The hashtag ‘dogsofinstagram’ has been used 121 million times on the famously frothy social-media platform.
MarnietheDog – a now 17-year-old rescue shih tzu in New York – has two million followers and is the poster girl for adopting elderly dogs. Her human Shirley Braha quit her TV job to launch Marnie into the world of commerce and now describes herself as Marnie’s personal assistant.
Despite Marnie’s fame, shih tzus don’t make the list of the top-10 most Instagrammed dogs, and neither do shiba inus. Tofu’s not fazed. He smiles serenely and asks to pass this message to his global fans: “I love you all and I hope one day you can all pat me.”
UK marketing company My Voucher Codes tallied up three popular hashtag variants for each breed to arrive at these results. If your hound’s breed didn’t make the cut, don’t blame it on the dog: Without opposable thumbs, posting on social media is tricky. Plus, there are butts to sniff.
Here’s the list of the world’s top 10 Instagrammed dog breeds, plus an Insta-hot pooch for each:
1. French bulldog 39.2 million posts
manny_the_frenchie | Manny | 1.1 million followers
A “philanthro-pup” with his own registered charity, the Manny & Friends Foundation, this petit Frenchie is on a “mission to spread joy by supporting both animal and human causes”. His 2019 calendar’s out now.
2. Pug, 29.3 million posts
@itsdougthepug | Doug | 3.6 million followers
Loves dressing up, starred in a Fall Out Boy music video and has his own range of soft toys and accessories.
3. Chihuahua 27.6 million posts
@mervinthechihuahua | Mervin | 124k followers
https://www.instagram.com/p/BpmgYBSAps0/
Mervin’s a plucky senior rescue dog who had to have all his teeth removed because of dental disease and is also a cancer survivor. It would be cruel not to adore him.
4. English bulldog, 24.6 million posts
@banethebulldog | Bane | 41.4k followers
An infamous mouth-breather who loves a good hat to accentuate his facial folds, Bane’s a guffaw-a-minute, even though he seems not to know it.
5. Labrador retriever, 19.1 million posts
@dogswiss | Nala | 39k followers
This handsome dude lives in the Swiss Alps (he’s a chocolate labrador, naturally), melding dog cuteness and alpine splendour in a single account. Cue yodel-barking.
6. Golden retriever, 18.6 million posts
@goosethegolden | Sir Goose Miyagi | 11.3k followers
Not the most active account, but Golden Goose has an adorable face, a big heart and he looks after his baby human sister, who likes to curl up in his toy bin.
7. Siberian husky, 17.8 million posts
@maruhusky | Maru | 334k followers
The “adorably naughty” happiest husky in the world is described as a husky/panda/seal cross. Don’t question, just stare into his eyes (one bright blue, the other brown) and fall in love.
8. Dachshund, 17.1 million posts
@brunotheminidaschund | Bruno | 116k followers
“Stink-eye expert and box destroyer,” he’s a master of disguise with his own Etsy store. Cross him at your peril.
9. Pomeranian, 15.5 million posts
@jiffpom | Jiff | 8.9 million followers
Holds two Guinness World Records, for speed walking on his front and hind legs, stole the show in Katy Perry’s Dark Horse music video — and his elaborate merchandise range puts Doug the Pug’s in the doghouse.
10. Yorkshire terrier, 14.8 million posts
@williecute | Willie | 62.5k followers
Revered for her flowing Yorkie tresses, Willie has been featured in Allure, is a “professional nap taker” and loves coffee and red wine (presumably only as photo props).
