Like most kids, 9-year-old Gideon has a favorite hobby — but it’s not playing baseball or reading comic books. Gideon’s hobby is documenting every dog he’s ever hugged, scratched or shaken paws with on his aptly named blog, I’ve Pet That Dog.
With help from his mom, the young blogger started the site in 2016 in an effort to see how many pups he could pet. To date, the youngster has met and taken photos with over 300 dogs (as well as one chicken and two goats), racking up an impressive 107,000+ followers on Twitter in the process.
Some of the dogs on the blog are people’s pets that he meets while out and about, though some are rescue animals in need of new homes.
The budding dog whisperer explained his method of finding dogs to pet in a recent interview with Vice: “What we do is, we drive around in a car and then when we see a dog we park. Then we get out and say, ‘Can I pet your dog?’ Well, that’s what I say. And sometimes they are like, ‘What??'”
Each day after school, Gideon says he aims to meet at least one dog to write about. When he first started the project, his mom thought he would get bored of the idea quickly. Instead, he has continued the series for two years because he really loves dogs and says that meeting them never gets boring!
“Why I love meeting dogs is because, well, they’re — if they looked exactly alike I don’t think I would’ve done this website,” he explained. “But they look different. Their fur is different colors. Some of them are taller, some are smaller, some don’t like playing with toys, some love playing with toys. It’s all because they’re basically different.”
Check out some of the cutest dogs Gideon has pet so far below.
Max, The Banana-Stealing Pug
I pet Max. He is a 9 year old Pug. His caregiver says his full name should be To The Max, because that’s how he eats, plays and sleeps. Max shakes his toys at his caregiver when he doesn’t want her to leave. Once, Max stole a banana from the kitchen and only ate the peel. pic.twitter.com/TW7m4YPvb8
— I’ve Pet That Dog (@IvePetThatDog) July 7, 2018
Mary Lou, The Friendly Pit Bull Mix That’s Up For Adoption
I pet Mary Lou. She is a 5 year old Pitbull mix. She is @CedarBendHS and needs a home. She was a stray dog who did not have a home. Mary Lou is playful and loves other dogs. She is sweet, friendly and lovable. pic.twitter.com/xGoGKt4fok
— I've Pet That Dog (@IvePetThatDog) July 12, 2018
Summer, The One-Year-Old That Will Give You Kisses
I pet Summer. She is 1 year old and is from a farm. She likes to run. She will give kisses and if you blow on her nose, she will gnaw on your face. Her caregiver says she is either dreaming about being crazy or is being crazy. 🤪 pic.twitter.com/bcaWd7UKfq
— I've Pet That Dog (@IvePetThatDog) June 18, 2018
Penny, The Beagle That Loves Belly Rubs And Peanut Buter
I pet Penny. She is a relaxed and happy beagle. Penny loves belly rubs and peanut butter. She sleeps on her back with her feet straight up in the air. pic.twitter.com/16TMPS1Pus
— I've Pet That Dog (@IvePetThatDog) May 31, 2018
Matilda, The Sassy 4-Year-Old
I pet Matilda. She is named after the Roald Dahl character. She is 4 1/2 years old and very sassy. Her birthday is in July and her caregivers always have a big celebration. Matilda is friends with the squirrels in her backyard, except for one. They have an ongoing feud. pic.twitter.com/hGNqTnnpUp
— I've Pet That Dog (@IvePetThatDog) May 23, 2018