This Dog Will Change Your Life

Elias Weiss Friedman is a photographer, social media influencer, philanthropist, and writer. Friedman grew up in the Philadelphia area with his parents, two siblings, and an array of family dogs. As a shy and introverted child, Friedman discovered that talking to and walking his dog Ruby helped him overcome social anxiety and form genuine connections with others. This connection with Ruby formed the foundation for his work as The Dogist.

Friedman attended Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts. While there, he began pursuing a degree in science and medicine. He quickly discovered that he wasn’t as scientifically minded as his parents, grandparents, and many other relatives. Instead, he preferred the arts. After college, Friedman relocated to New York City, where he worked at a popular marketing and advertising agency for two years. However, this work quickly proved unfulfilling. After he was laid off unexpectedly, Friedman took it as an opportunity to reinvent himself.

Friedman launched The Dogist in October 2013—a dog influencer page on various social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter. Since The Dogist’s inception, Friedman has acquired over 7 million followers and photographed over 50,000 dogs and their owners. As PAC NYC claims, Friedman “has redefined dog portraiture through his singular style of humanizing his subjects and illuminating their true essence” (“Elias Weiss Friedman.” PAC NYC). The Dogist was modeled after other blogs at the time, like The Sartorialist and Humans of New York, but its focus on the emotional bond between dogs and humans gives it a distinct identity. 

With The Dogist, Friedman not only honors his love of dogs but also brings together millions of people via their shared love of dogs. The brand focuses on promoting authenticity, joy, connection, love, and kindness in an online climate that is often divisive. As The Dogist, Friedman embraces humor and wit to spread as much love to others as he believes dogs do daily.

Friedman is also known for his philanthropy and canine advocacy work, which he details in This Dog Will Change Your Life. The Dogist has offered him organic opportunities to work with organizations and nonprofits, including Puppies Behind Bars, The National Disaster Search Dog Foundation, Best Friends Animal Society, the ASPCA, The Guide Dog Foundation, Canine Companions for Independence, The Seeing Eye, Warrior Canine Protection, The Sato Project, and many others. Friedman’s participation in this philanthropic work broadens his commitment to canine care and companionship beyond the parameters of his social media platform. Further, he’s used his platform to raise “over $500,000 for nonprofit organizations supporting rescue shelters, working dogs, and rehabilitation centers nationwide.”

Friedman began publishing books in 2015 with the release of his title The Dogist: Photographic Encounters with 1,000 Dogs. Originally published by Artisan Books, The Dogist was an instant New York Times bestseller. Its popularity also facilitated Friedman’s 2017 title, The Dogist Puppies. This second title, another work of photojournalism, features Friedman’s encounters with puppies on his walks through various cities.

This Dog Will Change Your Life is Friedman’s third publication, and branches away from photojournalism and into memoir and popular science. The text uses Friedman’s personal experiences as a throughway into celebrating the powerful connections between humans and their canine companions.