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Former Stray Dog Becomes Instagram Star

Sabrina Faramarzi

Published 
| Last updated 

Former Stray Dog Becomes Instagram Star

Featured Image Credit: Popeye the Foodie Dog Merchandise

When Ivy Diep adopted a stray dog on the streets of Los Angeles, she had no idea he was going to be a future Instagram star.

Diep first found the dog, Popeye, when he was very skinny with a dirty, heavily matted coat.

She hadn't planned to take him around the Los Angeles food scene, but he would come along with her to 'food dates' with her friend Jen.

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She noticed that Popeye, was very calm around food and wouldn't go for people's plates so she started photographing him sitting calmly at the table with her and her friends, posing with plates of cake, coffee, burgers and more.

"I'd bring Popeye any time I can, and we realised he was really good around food. He doesn't lunge for food or really even care for it. He just liked to be out," Ivy explained.

She would also dress him up in dog sweaters, shirts, hats, gloves and other accessories.

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She then started an Instagram account for him in 2015 - Popeye the Foodie Dog - which has now amassed nearly 360 thousand followers.

"I think food and dogs are already pretty popular on Instagram, so I think the combo of food and dog is a bit special," she told Chewy. She has also launched Popeye the Foodie Dog merchandise, where people can buy sweaters, mugs, bags and caps with an image of his face on it eating a doughnut.

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Diep always tries to seek pet-friendly food places, and with Los Angeles having mild weather all year round, they usually get a seat outside.

She also makes sure that Popeye only eats food that are safe for him to eat - with his favourite being chicken nuggets.

However, his shyness around food seems to be getting better.

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"When we first had him, he was timid around food and snacks," Diep explained. "He also didn't really play with toys; he only played with our sweater sleeves. He's now more comfortable with snacks and is more playful with toys."

His newfound influencer lifestyle is certainly a far cry from where Diep found him.

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Popeye now lives a happy life with Diep, her husband and her other dogs.

Topics: Life News, Real Life

Sabrina Faramarzi
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