A canine internet sensation is cheering up those in lockdown with personalised messages, birthday shout-outs and virtual high-fives.

Puggy Smalls and his 35-year-old owner, Nick Ettridge, from Rochester, have been creating hundreds of video messages to cheer people up who are social distancing due to the coronavirus.

This video of Puggy Smalls popping out of a McDonald's box gained the social media duo more than one billion views across multiple sharing platforms. Video: @thepuggysmalls

Nick, Puggy's full time business partner, said: "Puggy Smalls is born and bred in Kent, I've had him for five years, since he was eight weeks old.

"A few years back we filmed him popping out of an office desk draw and a McDonald's Happy Meal box.

"From there it just took off, not only on our pages, but on big Facebook pages like LadBible and other social media platforms like Instagram. All together we got around one billion views.

"Soon after, Puggy Smalls became an internet sensation overnight. We were being sent freebies and sponsor deals and that was when I realised this was bigger than we ever could have imagined."

Nick, a former video editor, became Puggy Small's full time manager about 18 months ago and so far the pair have more than 350,000 followers across Facebook and Instagram.

Nick said: "We've always wanted to do video shout-outs and now seemed like the best time to start with everyone home and feeling a bit down.

"We've had birthday shout-outs and even some personal messages to NHS staff."

Puggy Smalls is offering these shout-outs for less than £10. Usually Nick would only film two or three a day but recently has been filming as many as 30.

To get your own message all you have to do is search for the app or website, Cameo, and then fill in a form choosing Puggy Small's as your celebrity and then type your message and any requirements you would like.

Then it is down to Puggy Smalls and Nick to create a private video just for you, so you can send a happy message to your loved ones.
Nick said: "The best one yet was a man who asked Puggy to be involved in a proposal video that had a montage of his family members asking his fiancé to marry him. It was great.

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"Puggy Smalls was the first dog on Cameo and it's going so well."

The pug is named after the well-known rapper Biggy Smalls. Nick said: "Me and my friends loved Biggy Smalls, so four years before I even had Puggy, his name was decided."

Puggy Smalls has been sponsored by dog food companies and other merchandisers for both humans and furry friends. Nick said: "It wasn't until we were on a train at King's Cross and people were stopping to take pictures of us and saying that they recognised Puggy from online that we realised how big he was.

"Because we get so much attention out and about, I've even printed stickers for fans so they can show they've had a hug with Puggy.

"He is my best friend, I don't really think of him as this internet celebrity dog, he’s my full time job and he thinks I’m his butler.

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"Puggy Smalls gives me so much joy and happiness, and now I can give just some of that to others who are self-isolating at home. It's just magical."

You can find Puggy on Facebook here at Puggy Smalls and on Instagram at @thepuggysmalls, you can find Puggy's website here.

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