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By Maria Morava
Relationships Reporter
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For most dogs, a trip to the pet store is a treat.
But for Ryder, a 3-year-old Dalmatian, his recent visit to PetSmart was a business trip with an adorable twist: he was there to spend his very first influencer paycheck. His owner, Sandra Macedo, 29, captured the heartwarming event in a TikTok video and told Newsweek about the pivotal moment for Ryder—a sweet pup training for a greater purpose.
The clip follows Ryder and Macedo on their mission to spend his $85.27 influencer earnings. The footage shows Ryder navigating the aisles of PetSmart, seeming to make his own selections. By the end of their shopping spree, the duo had garnered a collection of toys, with the total coming in at $76.97.
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Macedo shared her immense pride in watching Ryder "spend" his hard-earned money.
"It honestly brings me so much joy being able to spoil him for all his 'hard work,'" she said. "Sure, I plan, film and edit the content, but he's the real superstar."
Among his new treasures, one item clearly stood out to the Dalmatian: "His favorite item was definitely the tug toy," Macedo said. "Tug-of-war is his favorite game, so there's no surprise it was a big hit."
'Our Full-Time Job'
Ryder's journey to becoming a pet influencer began in 2022 when Macedo got him—her first dog in about eight years.
"I started his TikTok account the same month I brought him home, as I wanted to document the entire journey almost like a digital diary," she said.
And, beyond the adorable shopping trips, Ryder's influencer income plays a crucial role in ensuring he lives his best life.
"[I want to] continue to give Ryder the best life possible," she said. "What started as 'posting for fun' has turned into our full-time job." The opportunities from working with various pet and other brands have "truly improved his quality of life and have allowed me to give him the best-possible care."
Macedo is meticulous about how Ryder's earnings are utilized.
"The income we make from our social-media accounts go toward his care first," she said. These essential expenses include vet costs, pet insurance, monthly prevention, food, toys, treats, grooming, professional training and more.
Macedo's philosophy for Ryder's life is expansive: "As I like to say, their world is as big as we make it, and I want to show him just how big this world is." Looking ahead, she dreams of exploring the country with Ryder, and hopefully one day traveling abroad together.
Ryder's influence extends beyond personal gain; he actively gives back to his community, too.
"He and I are a therapy dog team in training," Macedo said. The duo have undergone professional training and have already visited elementary schools, nursing homes and a school for adults with developmental disabilities. Their goal is to become a nationally recognized therapy dog team within the next few months.
Furthermore, Ryder's platform is used for animal welfare. Receiving products from pet brands—sometimes, more than they can reasonably use—Macedo donates new and gently used toys, food, supplements and more to their local shelter, LifeLine Animal Project.
"Giving back is extremely important to me," Macedo said. "Ryder is one lucky dog because of the continuous support from our online community. So, in return, we give back to our local community."
Ryder's story is just one example of how pet influencers can leverage their online popularity for both personal enrichment and community impact, proving that even a dog's "paycheck" can spread joy far and wide.
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