The Cutest Pets on Instagram Who Helped Us All Rebound in 2021

Not everything on the internet is doom and gloom. Sometimes, there’s a cute dog.
By Chad Taylor December 02, 2021 Advertisement Pin FB More Tweet Email Send Text Message Print

2020 was … not good. We all remember, so I won't go into it here. But 2021, on the other hand, was … OK, still pretty rough actually. But definitely marginally better! More of us got a chance to get out and about and see friends and loved ones, which helped make the doomscrolling of 2020 slightly less profound. But there was still plenty of scrolling to be had in '21 and, thankfully, a lot of it brought us to some pretty cute pets. Here are a few of our favorites from the past year.

two fluffy white dogs looking at each other Credit: Courtesy of mayapolarbear / Instagram

Tika the Iggy

This little fashionista just keeps serving sass along with her amazing runway looks. Billed on her massive social media account as the true fashion model she is, Tika the Iggy is a wickedly hilarious Montreal-based Italian greyhound who never fails to delight her 1.1 million followers on the 'gram. To say we're obsessed with her incredible closet of outfits would be an understatement. While 2020 may have put her on our radar with the totally viral (and completely relatable) "Loved it, couldn't wear it" video, clearly this little pup's fame is more than just a flash in the pan.

Doug the Pug

With his huge, expressive eyes, love of the camera and ever present tongue, Doug is so much more than "just" a pug. Perhaps the most accomplished actor in the animal kingdom today, Doug the Pug is a two-time People's Choice Award Winner, taking home back-to-back gold for Animal Star in 2019 and 2020.

Tuna

Gen-Z has almost single-handedly made the 2020's the decade of body positivity. And for my money, there are fewer better examples of loving the skin you're in than Tuna, the chiweenie with the big overbite and even bigger heart. Perhaps best known for his celebrity impersonations, Tuna is a master of costumes and can always be found looking adorable, just as nature made him.

Juniperfoxx

When it comes to bang for your adorable-pet-buck, it's hard to get much better than Juniper's Instagram page, where you can not only follow Juniper—"the most popular fox on Instagram"—but her friends. If you're into up-close-and-personal wildlife, check out Juniper's page for a glimpse at fellow fox friends like Ferngully, Fig, Elmwood, Lark and Finch. The rescued animal crew even includes an adorable opossum, a raccoon named Newt, and a fluffy chinchilla named Herbal. Bonus points for all their precious name picks.

Suki Cat

Alongside her best friend, a rescued husky named Killua, Suki the cat travels the world and shares incredible photos of her travels for her 2 million followers to fawn over. This amazing cat and dog duo go on adventure after adventure together through some genuinely beautiful natural settings.

Milo the Toller

Milo Bennet, also known to his 100K Instagram followers as Milo the toller, is a huge favorite here at Daily Paws. This gorgeous Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever has made some unlikely friendships (and amazing photos) with the butterflies that call his garden home. Now, he's taking his talents to a new cooking show and is the cutest on-camera chef we've ever seen. He even recently tried his paw at Daily Paws' own homemade cranberry oatmeal dog cookie recipe. Yum!

RELATED: From Butterfly King to Doggie Chef, Watch Milo the Toller Create Delicious Creations

Smudge Lord

You are probably already very familiar with Smudge, even without knowing his name. Starting in mid-2019, the internet came to know Smudge's face thanks to the now-ubiquitous "table cat" meme. Living in Canada and enjoying the reflected glow of his sudden fame, Smudge now has merch, his own website and 1.5 million Instagram followers who adore his snowy white fur and equally cool demeanor.

Chowder the Bear Dog

He's so fluffy I'm gonna diiiiie! Chowder the chow chow is everything you could possibly want from an adorable Instagram buddy: he's soft, squishy, suuuuuper fluffy and just the friendliest boi you could hope for. Then add in his corgi brother named Tofu? Adorable overload.

Maya Polar Bear

Continuing the super fun "dogs as bears" theme, let us present this gorgeous samoyed named Maya. With acres of soft, pure white fur and a smile that will melt your heart faster than the polar ice caps, it's hard not to watch videos of Maya cuddling with her people and not want to just dive into that big, floofy cloud yourself.