CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Tucked away in her garage-turned-photography studio, Megan Futterer is waving around dog treats and snapping photos of her doodles.
Futterer's photos, which showcase her two dogs dressed up in a wide variety of costumes, get posted to their Instagram account our_doodle_boone where they quickly garner likes.
Futterer said her success on Instagram started when she got her first dog, Boone. She said she just wanted to create a page where she could share updates with her friends and family.
"What started as a page to show people my new puppy quickly turned into something viral," Futterer recalled. The Charlotte mom said she first started by snapping a few photos of her dog here and there but then realized she could take it to another level.
"You know people love cuteness, overload, so I just started dressing them up in random things," Futterer said.
The first photo, which really started everything for Futterer, was a photo of Boone in a dress tie and shirt sitting in front of her husband's work desk.
"It was Take Your Dog to Work Day," Futterer recalled. "And that's what started it."
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Futterer now said she tries to post at least one photo every day of her dogs to their Instagram page. She said she'll use national holidays as inspiration.
"And whatever the National Day is, we'll go out and we'll either do a video on a reel, or we'll do a picture," Futterer said.
While her first dog, Boone, is a natural at snapping photos, Futterer said her second dog Baylor is still learning the ins and outs of being a professional model.
"She's only eight months old, she's a mini Australian Labradoodle," Futterer said.
For Boone and Baylor, even the word "picture" will make them perk up because they know a treat will always follow.
"He knows we're going to take a picture and he knows that he's going to get treats. So he loves it," Futterer said.
Futterer, on why she thinks her Instagram is so popular, said people need a little joy.
"I think right now, the world has become so negative and so dark," Futterer said. "And this is just something that sheds a light on something positive."
Futterer said her Instagram can act as a quick escape for some.
Viral Charlotte doodles
"I've had people that are going through cancer, that are going through illnesses just respond with a message and say, 'you know, I was having this bad day until I saw this picture,' and that's what makes it worth it," Futterer said.
Futterer has even started a side business where she takes professional dog photos.
For the month of October, Futterer will have 13 days of Halloween theme on her Instagram page. Be sure to follow them to see what costumes they wear each day!
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