One of our very favorite Instagram dog accounts happens to be a local Minneapolis pup – @gusgusinthecity. His feed is full of gorgeously shot photos, inspired dog style and breathtaking back drops. You can understand why we went gaga when we finally met Gus and his mom, Katie, at the Dog Day event in Minneapolis a fews weeks ago!
Trixie pulled Gus Gus aside and asked him some hard hitting questions only another dog could ask…
Trixie: Gus Gus, I can’t believe it’s really you after seeing you in lots of photos! You’re smaller than you look in pictures! How did you end up living in Minneapolis just like me?
Gus Gus: When my mama found me, I was in North Carolina. She took me to her home in Richmond, Virginia where we lived for the first 7 months of my life. We soon moved to Minneapolis, which is where she grew up. So now I get to see family all the time and get spoiled regularly! I am not too fond of the winters, but the summers make it worth it. Our favorite place to walk is over the Stone Arch Bridge!
Trixie: Winters are brutal, aren’t they? But when it’s nice in Minnesota, it’s REALLY nice. The Stone Arch Bridge is such a historical and iconic landmark! What are your favorite things to do and eat?
I LOVE to sleep!! and eat!! I would love to be able to combine those two things together!! I also love playing with my pupper friends!! I have 3 Frenchie friends that I play with regularly and they keep me fit and lean. When I’m not doing any of those three things, I’m cuddled up with my mama! The closer the better! I don’t discriminate when it comes to treats. I love everything from peanut butter to bison bites to carrots and lettuce! I don’t get a lot of table scraps, but I always get tastes of the veggies and fruits that my mama eats. If something drops on the floor, my motto is ‘eat first, ask questions later!’
Trixie: We’ve got a lot in common, my friend. Doesn’t get any better than sleeping, eating and cuddling. I know you’ve gotten to travel a lot…what’s one of your favorite trips?
Gus Gus: My all time favorite trip was this past January to SoCal! My mama and I went to San Diego and drove up to LA for one night. I met about 30 of my Instagram dog friends and they were even cooler in dog! One of my Instagram friends even invited me to be on a San Diego news channel with her. Her mama had landed a deal with “Shark Tank” and needed some models for the dog costume she made!
Trixie: Whaaa??? That is crazy incredible you got to be on TV! My mom was on TV once and she didn’t bring me (*sigh*). I know it’s not always fun and games for you. You have an important job as a therapy dog, right?
Gus Gus: I do! I love bringing joy and happiness to those that need it. You are required to pass a therapy dog test to volunteer as a therapy dog. A lot of testing sites will require you to go through their training program first. In addition, I took the canine good citizen test for good measure. It isn’t required, but I wanted to make sure that I was ready to do the job!
I volunteer every other week at a hospital. Each time I am there, I feel like I have made someone’s day. One time a war veteran asked for a therapy dog to visit him. When we got to his room, I told him that my name was Gus and he said, ‘well that’s perfect! I lost my buddy overseas and his name was Gus – I feel like he’s here with me now.’
Trixie: I have to say, I’ve got goose bumps hearing that story. You are a special dog in more ways than one, Gus! You have over 40,000 followers who think the same. What do you think are the keys to becoming an Instagram influencer?
Gus Gus: I get this question a lot! I think the best advice I can give is to engage with others and have a genuine interest in them! Other than that, I think bright, crisp photos with funny captions help!