The Power of Dogs of Instagram by Tris Dickie

Dogs have always had a special place in my heart, and I never seem to get enough of them! Like us, dogs face challenges of finding homes and fighting sicknesses. Social media makes it easier for people to share a dog’s story and to spread awareness of the problems dogs encounter. As a community we can come together to help our furry friends! Dogs of Instagram, founded by Ahmed El Shourbagy and Ashley Paguyo Shourbagy, is an extremely effective way to help the dogs that we love so much!

            Dogs of Instagram began as a way to give dog lovers their daily dose of cute puppy faces, but has evolved into something much greater with every new follower. I found this adorable account in the midst of its growing fame. “Ahmed thought it would be fun to create an account to celebrate people’s passion for dogs,” writes Baldwin Cunningham in his article, What Dogs of Instagram Can Teach You About Millennial Business. This account has become affiliated with many organizations such as Susie’s Senior Dogs, which helps find homes for orphaned and abandoned elder dogs. With the help of Dogs of Instagram, they can reach out to over 3 million people through the internet to give a dog their forever home. This account has become so large that they have made their own business called Lucy & Co. Their business sells products for dogs and gives their proceeds to help fund these awesome organizations so that they can continue changing dog’s lives. I personally felt good about spoiling my four-legged baby knowing that I was also helping pets in need! Blogger Baldwin Cunningham writes about the amazing business Dogs of Instagram has developed. He says, “Dogs of Instagram is a story with immense lessons for companies trying to understand and adapt to a new type of relationship with their customers.”

            All kinds of different people around the world are drawn to Dogs of Instagram because of their common interest and passion for dogs. Their account makes it fast and easy for people to help pets from many different locations. The account's simple format and cute captions attract even more people, and is the epitome of their fame. So many Instagram users love it so much that they will tell their friends about it or tag photos of their own dogs to share with all of the dog lovers, including myself. I decided to join in on the fun and made an account for my photos of my dog (shown on the left) to share with other dog lovers. I have come to know other people with my passions and have seen them featured on Dogs of Instagram occasionally. I have even developed a love for photography through this! Dogs of Instagram is definitely an account that I recommend people should check out because they have a great cause. If that’s not enough, go for the adorable puppies!

For more insight, check out Baldwin Cunningham’s article: http://www.forbes.com/sites/baldwincunningham/2015/11/19/what-dogs-of-instagram-can-teach-you-about-millennial-business/#43a6b6a07bd3