This Dog Will Change Your Life

Friedman’s work as The Dogist—his social media dogfluencer page and online identity—conveys how dogs can bring a diverse array of people together. Friedman began The Dogist because he felt defeated in his vocational path. What began as a form of self-redemption, however, quickly launched a popular online community with dogs as its central touchstone. Friedman’s reflections on the surprising, transformative, and connective effects of his social media presence form the focus of Part 2. He positions The Dogist as “An antidote to the rest of the internet. Much of the internet makes you feel jealous, envious, angry, self-conscious, lazy, or stupid. The Dogist was created to be a breath of fresh air” (190). On its surface, The Dogist is a social media page that features images and videos of dogs and their owners—the majority of whom Friedman meets in his walks around various cities. On a deeper level, Friedman describes The Dogist as a community of people bonding over a common interest: their canine companions. Dogs help to lower rigid social barriers, offering them organic opportunities to talk face-to-face and online: “The overall vibe [is] so nourishing and supportive, an example of the best kinds of human relationships, and the way that they create warmth and humor (191). These metaphors that Friedman uses to describe the community—“an antidote” and “a breath of fresh air”—conjure notions of relief, safety, life, and relaxation, fundamental aspects of positive human communities.

Friedman broadens his argument by discussing how dog companions influence romantic relationships and family dynamics, too. In the context of the home, Friedman notes that dogs can help children to learn about life and death, responsibility and care, love and empathy. When “a dog comes into the family,” its care becomes “a central part of daily routines,” all of which happen “in full view of young children” (134, 138). Friedman argues that because children imitate their parents, they become eager to help with the dog after watching their parents administer its care; this modeling behavior in turn affords the child vital lessons about self-care and self-love. A similar phenomenon might occur in the context of romantic relationships, when the connection is founded on the shared love of a dog or fur baby. The dog offers the couple chances to practice parenting and communicate around a common cause: the care of a child and/or dog. In these microcosms, dogs overcome differences and bring people together, too.