There’s a pretty good chance you’ve already stumbled across Maxine on Instagram or TikTok.
She’s a Corgi who likes to travel around New York City in style, perched on the back of her dad Bryan.
To learn how we got 1 million TikTok followers in a month, check out our latest YouTube video here.
Using a backpack, you may have seen one of Maxine’s many viral videos as she joins her dad for his daily commute.
Maxine is also famous for her peachy rear, even being named the fluffiest butt on Instagram. She’s got over 940,000 followers.
Having started a TikTok account last year, Maxine’s following has quickly grown to 4 million on the video-sharing app.
We spoke to Bryan about Maxine to learn more about this charming Corgi, as well as find out the secrets to their success on social media.
You can follow Maxine on Instagram (@madmax_fluffyroad) and TikTok (@madmax_fluffyroad).
1) Can you tell us how you ended up with Maxine?
Maxine the Corgi (Photo: @madmax_fluffyroad / Instagram)
My wife Alex and I always wanted a corgi. We got Maxine when she was a puppy back in 2016. She was actually our wedding present to each other.
2) What is Maxine’s personality like?
Maxine is very rambunctious. She’s playful, loves napping on the subway and is highly motivated by food. She’s a lot like us.
3) What is a typical day like for Maxine?
Maxine the Corgi (Photo: @madmax_fluffyroad / Instagram)
Before Coronavirus, during the week, Maxine would ride the subway with me to work (in her backpack), hang out at my office, nap a lot, and ride with me back home. We’d play with her for a little, she’d have about 30 minutes of indoor exercising to help rehabilitate from a minor arm surgery, and then she’d go to bed. In between all that there would be lots of pets and snacks. Since the stay at home order, she spends all day whining at us out of boredom. Just kidding, we keep her entertained.
4) Max is famous for her backpack. Can you shed some light on how you first came to hear about it, how you got Max familiar with it and did you expect such a big reaction?
When we got Maxine, I was fortunate to be in a position where I was able to bring her to work with me every day. She would ride with me in a tote bag. And when she outgrew that, I stumbled upon the backpack. People loved it, so I started recording their reactions. Now her backpack videos are a daily thing on our Instagram Stories. I never expected it to get such a big reaction, but I’m not surprised. She looks ridiculous in that thing.
5) What are the common questions you get asked about Max when commuting with her?
Maxine the Corgi (Photo: @madmax_fluffyroad / Instagram)
I don’t get asked a lot of questions when I’m riding the train, but people usually like to tell me that they would NEVER be able to carry their dog in a backpack. I’m generally listening to music and catching up on reading during my commute, though.
6) What advice would you give to anyone looking to get their dog comfortable using any type of carrier?
I’ve learned that carriers can be tough if unless you’re using them consistently. When I first started commuting with the backpack, I almost gave up after a week because it’s really difficult to put on and take off if you’re by yourself. You also don’t know what’s going on behind you and want to make sure your dog is safe, as well as those around you. I would recommend a lot of practice in the environment you’ll be using the carrier. And lots of treats.
7) What inspired you to start a TikTok for Max in the first place?
It looked like a fun way to continue to be creative.
8) What is your favourite video or your most popular video that you’ve posted of Max?
Our favorite video we posted recently was the Harry Potter/Green screen video we just posted. We’ve been stuck at home for nearly a month so I’m having fun making weirder videos with Maxine — and I think people are into it.
9) What are the advantages of TikTok over Instagram?
Content discovery is the main benefit to TikTok – it’s the most essential and exciting part of the platform–that your “feed” is always new content, from people you wouldn’t normally follow. So you have an ability to reach a much wider audience than Instagram.
10) Do you prefer to plan out your videos or do more spontaneous content?
While we usually plan out most of our Instagram content, our most popular TikTok posts are usually spontaneous. Scroll for awhile, see a song or a challenge, get an idea for a video, make it, post it. That keeps everything fun.
11) Has Instagram or TikTok opened any other doors or created any cool opportunities for you and Max?
Maxine the Corgi (Photo: @madmax_fluffyroad / Instagram)
Absolutely. Over the past 4 years on Instagram, we’ve been fortunate to meet a lot of incredible people, make a lot of friends, and be included in things like the film premiere of Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs, invited to hang out backstage with comedians like Iliza Schlesinger and John Hodgman, and been featured it publications like The New York Times, The Cut and Vogue. So it’s been a really incredible experience sharing Maxine with the world, and we feel very lucky every day that we have the opportunity to do that.
12) What are the pros and cons of TikTok?
The pros and cons of TIkTok are the same with any social media platform. For people like us who enjoy making things, it gives us an outlet to be creative and share that creativity with the world. Maxine makes a lot of people happy so that’s what drives us. Unfortunately it also comes with a litany of issues that can affect your mental health: the pressure to maintain a presence, to stay relevant, to stay on top of daily trends, and to keep growing.
13) Tell us your funniest Max story please.
Maxine the Corgi (Photo: @madmax_fluffyroad / Instagram)
We think everything that dog does is hilarious. She just has so much personality. But one time she farted herself awake. Like, her own fart scared her. That was pretty funny.
14) Finally, if you could give advice to yourself knowing what you know if you went back to when you first started your social media accounts, what would it be?
Honestly I don’t think I’d do anything different. We’ve always kept it fun and never expected much. Since day 1 we’ve made photos and videos because we love our dog and love creating — no matter the situation. It’s the way it’s always been and it’s the way it’ll always be.
