Instagram man and his mini-me dog .
This pooch and his owner are a picture-perfect pair
THEY’RE both affectionate, athletic and introspective and can be a little tetchy when they haven’t eaten. Meet Topher Brophy and his “son”, Rosenberg – a hairy pair who love dressing up together and have become an Instagram sensation.
“Rosenberg came into my life two years ago when I was going through a difficult time,” says Topher, an artist who lives in New York.
“I wasn’t in touch with my emotions and to mask this and to relieve tension and stress I began to overindulge in playing competitive sport.”
After herniating a disk he was forced to stop and with a lot of time on his hands he realised he’d become too self-absorbed. “I badly needed meaning in my life and knew caring for someone else would be healthy. This is when I started the adoption process for Rosenberg.”
Topher and the two-year-old Australian shepherd-poodle cross love taking long walks in a park where Topher found that people would come up to him and say, “Hey, this is kind of weird but has anyone told you you kind of look like your dog?”
Hardly surprising – these handsome fellas both have an abundance of facial hair, soft eyes, sparkling white teeth and a dazzling smile.
Topher took these comments as a huge compliment. “He’s a beautiful creature!”
BEFORE long the pair had taken to dressing up in elaborate matched costumes and posting the pictures on social media. They employed the services of a professional dog photographer and their social media posts have become a howling success, with followers nearing 200 000.
The cute pics are accompanied by uplifting messages, such as this one with a photo of the guys decked out in natty tartan: “Rosenberg and I’ve always had trouble fitting in, which can feel isolating at times. It’s only recently, through artistic expression, that we’ve been able to embrace these differences, which we now view as our greatest strengths. We’d like to dedicate this post to anyone who’s ever been called ‘weird’, ‘a freak’, ‘strange’, ‘not normal’ or feels different, like they don’t fit in.
“We encourage you to hold on and embrace your uniqueness, which we promise can one day also be your greatest strength.”
Rosenberg loves doing normal doggy things, but like his “dad” he’s not averse to a little contemplative people-watching. “He likes to sit back and watch while looking wise and regal,” proud papa Topher says.
“Becoming a dad was the best decision I’ve ever made. On top of being my son, Rosenberg is also my best friend. By continually putting Rosenberg’s needs before my own I’m more self-aware and constantly focused on making other people happy. Having a son I now feel a connection to every living being in the world.”
Doggone adorable!