Today we’d like to introduce you to Kiwi The Mini Doodle and Gaby.
Hi Kiwi and Gaby, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story goes back to when I was a little girl, maybe about 5 or 6. I loved animals so much for as long as I can remember and even planned on being a veterinarian when I grew older. In my childhood home, I lived next door to a very nice couple who had two dogs. Even though I had the absolute worst allergies to dogs, I would always accompany my mom in going over just to play with them. I would spend hours holding my favorite one (Katie the cocker spaniel) even though I’d be breaking out in hives from my allergies!
As time went on, I always felt like I had an intrinsic connection with animals. I begged my mom to let me take horseback riding lessons, go over to the friends’ houses who had pets, and asked for a puppy every Christmas and birthday. Well, I never got a puppy and never became a vet as I found I had different passions. However, my little brother (the youngest child of course) asked for a puppy one Christmas, and my parents decided to get him one. I was so hurt by this but the good that came out of it was me realizing how much I loved taking care of our little Snoopy. Once quarantine came, I was the one who always took him on walks, to the park, and played with him as my brother slowly started to not care for him as much. This love for taking care of a dog allowed me to connect with my inner child and the love I had for animals began to grow even more.
I decided to move back to Orlando during quarantine and spend some time away from family as we were together 24/7. I got a job in retail so I’d have some money and a reason to stay living on my own and soon became very lonely and depressed with my routine. I began playing with the idea of getting a pet and went from fish to bunny to puppy, but I couldn’t shake the idea of getting a dog, especially since I always wanted one. I began researching breeds and got stuck on golden doodles, specifically for my allergies and lifestyle. I was looking nonstop and I ended up stumbling upon a litter online and video called the breeder. She showed me her current litter that was listed online and said she had a smaller litter not up for sale yet. I fell in love with the smaller litter and it turned out I found my dream dog by accident! Long story short, I put a deposit on who was soon to be Kiwi and believe that was one of the best decisions I have ever made for myself. I paid, trained, and cared for Kiwi completely on my own and to this day see it as one of my biggest accomplishments. I love Kiwi so much and could not see my life without her, as cliche as it sounds 🙂 She is an absolute ray of sunshine and I wouldn’t trade her for anything in the world.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
One of the struggles I dealt with in getting a puppy and being a first-time pet owner was not having the support of my family. I chose not to tell my mom until months after as I knew she would disapprove of the decision. My aunt looked down upon it as she said I could not support it financially or take care of it properly, but I soon realized she told me these things because she is a very different person than me and was not very good at caring for her own dog.
Another challenge I faced was training Kiwi on my own (obedience, potty training, leash walking, and house training). I signed her up for training classes at a local pet store and was very on top of the homework that came with it. It was expensive and hard but I don’t regret it at all. I watched so many YouTube videos and read many articles before and after I got Kiwi to educate myself on how to raise a puppy and specifics of her breed. It definitely wasn’t a smooth road but if it was, I would not be as proud of myself for overcoming my family’s disapproval and showing them and myself that I not only can care for a puppy but I can do it well to where she’s healthy, happy, and thriving.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I run an Instagram account for Kiwi, @kiwi.the.mini. It is centered around her point of view of life and captures all of our adventures and special moments together, such as the day I picked her up, puppy training classes, dog meetups, and holidays.
My personal aesthetic is very colorful so I incorporated that part of my personality into the creative expression I have in running Kiwi’s account. All of her pictures are very bright and colorful, as well as her accessories like her harness/leash, name tag, and bandanas.
I am most proud of my ability to run her account in a way that aligns with my own aesthetic while standing apart from the typical dog influencer account. I see a lot of really popular pet accounts use neutral color palettes and to me they all look the same, which is why I wanted to stand out. I also feel like Kiwi has a very vibrant personality similar to mine, which I think is reflected well on the page.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
100%! The pandemic allowed me to connect with my inner child and helped me realize how much I love dogs and taking care of animals. I feel as though I have always had a motherly instinct and deciding to get a dog post-quarantine just made a lot of sense for where I was in my life at the time.
Contact Info:
- Email: gabriellearcia@gmail.com, kiwi.theminidoodle@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kiwi.the.mini/
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/gabsarcia/
