At first, it seems deceptively simple. “I pet Izzy. I pet Clementine. I pet Abigail and Louis.” At just nine years old, Gideon Kidd writes about each dog he meets and pets. He’s pet 317 dogs so far, in fact, documenting each encounter on his blog and Twitter account—to the world’s delight. The sweet project has made him a viral sensation.
I pet Lady. She is a 6 year old rough-coated collie. She is famous and has her own Instagram account: @lady_notlassie. She was born on a farm in Wisconsin. Lady is very sweet and smart. She is a good listener. She will tilt her head and look at you when you talk. pic.twitter.com/tPPE7vHFQW
— I’ve Pet That Dog (@IvePetThatDog) May 17, 2018
Gideon’s advice for petting dogs
Recently, the nine-year-old offered some advice for dog lovers who want to follow in his footsteps and pet ALL THE DOGS EVER (after getting permission from the owner, natch).
“First, you walk up to the caregiver,” he says. Then you make your big request. “Can I please pet your dog?”
He adds, “if they say yes, don’t just start petting the dog. Walk slowly, stick your hand under their nose and let them sniff you. Then you can pet the dog.”
Sound advice, Gideon.
I pet Toto. He was born and raised in Los Angeles. He misses all the sunny days they have there. He is the 290th dog I’ve pet! pic.twitter.com/s3BBPjjgQ9
— I’ve Pet That Dog (@IvePetThatDog) May 9, 2018
‘I Pet That Dog’ started with a boy’s dream
Gideon lives in California with his folks and his own pet dog, Walter, a rescued stray. He had the idea to start a blog about petting dogs back in 2016. The website, I’ve Pet That Dog, didn’t gain much attention at first. That’s when his mom, Rachel Braunigan, decided to help her son set up a Twitter account.
And the world took notice. Gideon quickly went from less than 500 Twitter followers to over fifty thousand—and counting. He’s been covered by the Today Show, People magazine, Vice, and more.
Excited that my first for @VICE is the most wholesome Q&A I’ve done in my life, about the only important subject matter.https://t.co/SDsSN84oPM
— Nicole Clark (@nicalexiac) May 16, 2018
The premise is simple: Gideon asks permission to pet a dog he encounters, his mom takes a photo of the encounter, and then Gideon posts about it. He includes the dog’s name and a little of the dog’s personality or history.
His mom says she can understand the project’s popularity. “There’s no ulterior motive, there’s no gimmick. Here’s the dog I met, here’s a little bit about that dog, look at my picture. That’s it.”
I pet Stella. She is a 16 month old poodle and a show dog. She follows all sorts of commands, like shake, sit and stay. She can even bring back pheasants! Her caregiver got her for his granddaughter, but the dog helped him the most. When he was depressed, she stayed with him. pic.twitter.com/zyxw5alUYJ
— I’ve Pet That Dog (@IvePetThatDog) May 15, 2018
Gideon is using his fame for good, too! When he visits shelter dogs that need a home, he spreads the word via his incredibly popular Twitter account.
I pet Etta. She is a 6 year old pit bull, terrier mix who needs a new home with her brother, Otis. She is @CedarBendHS . Etta and Otis don’t like other dogs, but they love each other. They are energetic and love to be pet. pic.twitter.com/O3jZesysyy
— I’ve Pet That Dog (@IvePetThatDog) May 17, 2018
For more on the project in Gideon’s own words, check out the post he authored for BuzzFeed.