Picture-Perfect Pets

There’s no denying that pets have become social media stars in recent years. More than a third of global pet owners have set up a social media account for their pets, and millions more regularly post photos of their furry friends on their own account.

But which states and cities have the most Instagrammable pets, and which pet influencers are doing the best on Instagram and TikTok?

We delved into the data to find out, and have some tips for honoring your own picture-perfect pet at home with framed photos!

Benji the Bernadoodle - @lilmanlife

Let's jump into the data!

Pet owners in Washington have the most Instagrammable pooches

1) Washington

Washington tops the list with 1.1 million dog-related Instagram hashtags, equating to 71,902 posts per 100,000 residents. Known for its outdoor-loving culture, Washington's residents frequently showcase their dogs walking through the snow, splashing in rivers, and frolicking through flower-filled forests.

2) Massachusetts

Massachusetts ranks second as the state most likely to post their dog snaps online. There are 693,570 posts with dog-related hashtags on Instagram, which is over 55,144 posts per 100,000 people. This state's dog-loving community is highly engaged online.

3) Florida

Florida is third, with 33,377 dog posts per 100,000 people. The state’s sunny climate and dog-friendly parks create the perfect setting for pet-oriented Instagram posts. Hashtagged pet posts from Floridian cities often feature pups basking in the sun or visiting the botanical Leu Gardens near Orlando on the annual Dog Day when pets are permitted.

Buffalo is the biggest pet-loving city in the US

1) Buffalo, New York

Buffalo, New York, leads with more than 498,000 dog-related hashtagged Instagram posts, equating to just over 18,000 online snaps per 10,000 people! Along with many residents showing off their pups online, Buffalo has plenty of dog-friendly spots like Wilkeson Pointe Park and Eternal Flame Falls.

2) Seattle, Washington

Seattle, Washington, takes second place with over a million dog-related Instagram hashtags, translating to 13,733 posts per 10,000 people. If you’re a dog owner in Seattle who wants to take Instagram-worthy pictures of your pooch, you'll be in good company if you head to Washington Park Arboretum or the Olympic Sculpture Park.

3) Boston, Massachusetts

Boston, Massachusetts, comes in third with 690,315 dog-related Instagram hashtags, or 10,676 pet posts per 10,000 people. Some popular posts on the ‘Gram include dogs enjoying the sun at Rexhame Beach and sailing off the Charles River Esplanade.

Jiffpom is the biggest pet influencer in the US, earning almost $65,000 per post!

1) Jiffpom

Jiffpom, the adorable Pomeranian from Los Angeles, California, reigns as the top pet influencer in the US. With 92.3 million social media followers and the potential to earn up to $64,900 for a single post and story on Instagram, his influencer power is undeniable, reflected in this near-perfect score of 9.87/10.

Jiffpom’s delightful mix of playful antics and stylish outfits has earned him 518.2 million TikTok likes. Whether he's zooming around in tiny shoes or melting hearts with his fluffy face, Jiffpom's posts are social media gold.

2) Tucker the Golden Retriever

Tucker, the golden retriever from Michigan, is another social media superstar. With 15.3 million Instagram followers and 11.5 million TikTok followers, Tucker has become a fan favorite and has earned 259.8 million TikTok likes.

His feed is full of fun, with videos showing him "talking" to his owner or playing with his fellow furry friends. If brands wanted to collaborate with this pet influencer, Tucker could earn up to $33,700 for a single Instagram post and story.

3) Nala Stomps

Nala Stomps, a golden retriever from Salt Lake City in Utah, rounds off the top three with 3.4 million Instagram followers and 6.6 million TikTok fans. Potentially earning up to $31,300 for a single Instagram post and story, she’s a favorite for pet brands and fans alike.

Nala’s content combines outdoor adventures, funny skits, and her famous stomps, which see passersby stopping her and her owner in the street for in-person demonstrations — all of which have helped her reach 335.6 million likes on TikTok.

The best states for aspiring pet influencers

California reigns supreme in the world of pet influencers, with 1.19 billion total followers and likes across Instagram and TikTok.

With a love of the luxury lifestyle, Californians can splash out on their pets and create fun content that isn’t often seen elsewhere. Couple this with a state-wide love of social media and you have the recipe for successful pet-fluencers.

Close behind, New York holds its own, with over 1 billion followers and likes. Pet influencers in this state have a particularly strong presence on TikTok, with 42.2 million followers and 953 million likes.

While California leads in overall numbers, New York is a powerhouse on TikTok, proving that both coasts are home to some of the most beloved pet stars on the internet.

Beyond the top two states, Michigan and Florida are strong contenders, with 364.9 million and 349.6 million total followers and likes, respectively.

Michigan’s Tucker the Golden Retriever has helped elevate the state to third place, while Florida’s Juniper the Fox accounts for a lot of the followers and likes in that state.

Utah, Virginia, and Tennessee also make a splash, each racking up well over 200 million followers and likes, proving that pet influencer fame isn’t limited to the biggest states.

Pet-fluencer earnings by state

California also dominates the pet influencer scene in terms of revenue, with a maximum earning potential of $167,300 for a single post and story. New York once again follows in second place with $65,400.

Interestingly, states like Colorado and Massachusetts enter the top 10 for earnings potential, despite not making the top rankings for total followers and likes. Pet influencers in these states could earn up to $33,100 and $28,100, respectively, offering huge potential for aspiring pet-fluencers in a less saturated market.

Dogs are officially the most Instagrammable pets

Of all the top pet influencers in this study, 24 are dogs. Out of all dog-fluencers, golden retrievers are the most successful, with famous names like Tucker and Nala dominating the top 10.

Cats make up 10 of the most popular pets on Instagram in this study, with a total following of 14.4 million. Out of these, Ragdoll cat Puff (@thatlittlepuff) is the most successful. The adorable feline has over 2.6 million followers on the app.

Surprisingly, foxes rank in third place! Although only one fox influencer appears in this study—Juniper the Fox—its followers (3.3 million) are more than enough to put it ahead of other famous pets like chinchillas and ducks.

The most popular pet artists online

There were over 162,000 Google searches for terms like ‘pet cartoon, ‘pet artwork,’ and ‘pet painting portrait’ in the US in the last year.

This shows that the love of pet photos goes beyond social media and has made its way into homes across the country, in the form of artwork.

With a range of styles available, these are some of the most popular pet artist across the country:

Artists like California-based Annie B have received a lot of online interest, with 18,600 global Google searches between September 2023 and August 2024. Known for working with a range of materials, including watercolor, charcoal, and colored pencils, Annie B’s art captures pets’ personalities, making them a favorite among pet owners.

Following closely behind is Jennifer Gennari, a fine art and realism artist from New York, who has received 15,180 searches. West & Willow, also from New York, secures the third spot with 13,600 global searches.

If you’re looking for a more whimsical approach, take a look at Lady Chamomile’s work. This talented artist is based in Washington and creates cartoon and illustration-style pet art, with people conducting 700 searches for them annually.

Celebrate your own pets with framed photos and collage frames

Beyond social media, pet snaps are also incredibly popular in home décor - not only in the form of pet artwork but also as framed photos. Family photos are the number one category that customers frame with Level Frames, and many of those family shots include a dog or other pets.

Standalone pet photos are the third most popular category after wedding photos. Taking into consideration framed photos that include dogs either by themselves or as part of a family photo, they account for 12% of all framed photos.

Pictures of our pets capture priceless memories that we want to cherish forever. Here are some tips to help you incorporate them in your home décor.

1) Choose the best snaps of your pet

Start by selecting your favorite pictures of your pet, whether they’re action shots, close-ups, or even professional pet portraits. You can also include artwork, like a custom pet portrait from specialized artists or a piece that resonates with your pet’s personality.

You could even include other pet-related elements, like vintage artwork for dog lovers or framed custom items like a dog collar or fur clipping design, to really create a homage to your pet.

2) Pick the right frames

A variety of frames can elevate your pet’s ‘wall of fame,’ and choosing the right ones will make it come to life. We offer a range of handcrafted, museum-quality styles, including natural wood, metal, and colorful finishes.

Choose frames that complement your existing home décor and your pet’s unique vibe — think sleek black frames for a modern look, gold frames to add a touch of elegance, or rustic wooden frames for a cozy, natural feel.

3) Create a layout

Before hanging your pieces, lay them out on the floor to visualize the arrangement. Mix larger statement pieces with smaller ones for an interesting gallery wall. At Level Frames we offer multiple sizes of frames, allowing you to play with different dimensions to create an engaging display.

As a leading online custom framing service, we provide an end-to-end experience for framing your best photos, artwork, vinyls and more, delivered straight to your home. Transform your home in minutes by framing special moments and memories in our handcrafted, museum-quality frames.

If you have any questions about framing up photos of your pets or anything else, we are standing by to help!

Methodology

Data is accurate as of 09/09/2024.

We used World Population Review to determine each US state's five highest-populated cities/townships and their populations.

We used Instagram to find the number of tags for the terms #dogsof[city] and #[city]dogs. We added the US state code to the search term for any locations that share the same name with another city.

We combined the number of tags for both terms and added the searches in each of the five US cities to give us a total for each US state. By dividing the total number of tags for each US state by the population of the top five most populous cities/townships and multiplying this by 100,000, we calculated the number of dog-related tags per 100,000 residents.

Using a series of listicles, we created another seed list of popular US-based pet influencers. We sourced their Instagram and TikTok follower count (if applicable) and total number of TikTok likes. We used the Instagram Pricing Calculator to find each influencer's maximum potential earnings from one post and one story.

We used the influencer-related factors (Instagram follow count, maximum potential earnings, TikTok follower count, and TikTok like count) and normalized each factor out of 10 before taking an average of those scores to get our overall ‘influencer score.’

We combined the Instagram and TikTok follower count with the number of TikTok likes for all pet influencers based in each US state to determine the biggest pet influencer states. We used this principle to calculate the highest-earning pet influencer states.

We created a third seed list of US-based artists who offer pet painting services. We used Google Ads Keyword Planner to find the total number of Google searches for each artist between September 2023 and August 2024.

Finally, we compiled a list of search terms related to pet art commissions and used Google Ads Keyword Planner to find the total number of Google searches for each term between September 2023 and August 2024.

1 https://www.statista.com/statistics/1423969/pet-owners-setting-up-social-media-accounts/