From influencer tips to live training shows, The Super Pet Expo is the D.C. area’s biggest pet event for animal lovers and aspiring pet stars alike.
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Want your dog to get famous? This animal talent agent explains how to get hired
After a quarter century at the now-closed Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, the Super Pet Expo makes the Manassas Mall its new home this weekend.
The D.C. region’s largest pet event brings over 150 local and national vendors selling a wide range of pet products.
Fur-babies are welcome to bring their parents to the event; they will have a chance to meet pet experts and find out the latest in pet training, nutrition and health.
Now, for those who are petless, the expo will have local animal rescue organizations on site for you to take the first step in making one a part of your family.
Stars of the canine world will also be on hand, including Chrissy Joy and Celebrity Pups.
Joy, who hosts “The Dog Moms” and “Farm Girl” on DOGTV, will show off her dog trainer skills with two shows on Friday and three on Saturday and Sunday.
Pet influencers in their natural habitat
There is a question that most pet owners ask themselves at least once: My pet is super cute. Could they become the next Grumpy Cat or the Kim Kardashian of canines?
If you’ve thought about it, the Super Pet Expo may be the place for you this Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
Dawn Wolfe, whose animal talent agency Pawsitively Famous, casts dogs in movies, commercials and print ads, is hosting a Pet Influencer Panel.
Wolfe said she does not “care how cute a dog is,” because it’s training “that’s going to get you hired with somebody like me.”
“If it’s just sitting in a little handbag, and they’re doing some videos, that doesn’t really impress me. Showing the dog run, jumping in the handbag, putting his paws up, maybe barking on command, and then when they say, ‘lay down,’ the dog goes in the handbag. Now, that would impress me,” Wolfe said.
If you have a social media page for your dog in the hopes it will get noticed, Wolfe suggested to list where you live.
“Because if I find your Instagram account, I’m not going to reach out if you’re in LA and I have a job in New York,” Wolfe said.
Professional training and posting fun videos and pictures on your social media with you talking about products you and your dog like are also tips Wolfe had for the influencers in training.
One of the panelists who is joining Wolfe on Saturday is Sam Carrell. Her prides and joys, Tinkerbelle the Dog and her sister Belle, will also be joining her.
Nine months after Carrell adopted Tinkerbelle from a shelter, she was approached by an animal agent on the streets of New York.
“She said, ‘I want to work with your dog,’” Carrell said.
Eight months later, Tinkerbelle was modeling for Ralph Lauren. She now has over 430,000 followers on Instagram.
“They did videos, they did photos. He picked her to launch the whole campaign, the face of the campaign,” Carrell said.
The tiny Maltese-Papillon mix has been kissed by Taylor Swift, while her sister Belle has appeared on Saturday Night Live three times.
With her modeling, commercial work and appearances, Carrell acknowledged Tinkerbelle has become a very lucrative pound puppy.
“It’s the Marilyn Monroe story,” Carrell said laughing.
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