Doug the Pug Dons Cap and Gown to Receive Degree

Mary Simpson
by Mary Simpson

Internet sensation, friend to the stars, and eCommerce mogul, what more could a dog want? A degree, of course!

(photo credit: RawPixel.com / shutterstock.com)

Can a dog be ambitious?


If so, there’s a Pug named Doug out of Nashville who is single-handedly winning the charge on this front. Okay, maybe not single-handedly because pet parent Leslie Mosier has been helping with the keyboarding requirements and tweaking his social media savvy. Also, using the word “handedly” may not be appropriate given he’s not of the five-fingered variety… however I’m not sure “pawedly” would really work.


But I digress.


You see, it’s the famed Pug’s mug and that extensive wardrobe securing his well-earned leader-of-the-pack position as a social media influencer. Yes, those cute, flat-faced Pug features, with a lolling, pink tongue and outfits for every occasion give him that ever-changing, must-watch persona that social media devotees adore. So much so, that the 13-year-old Pug has over 15 million social media followers who tap in daily to watch his antics on Instagram and TikTok.


And it’s not just the internet that’s fascinated by the portly Pug. Doug has appeared in videos with Billie Eilish, Justin Bieber, and John Legend as well as been interviewed on CNBC and even has a range of stuffed toys and books available on Amazon. A highlight for any dog has to be walking the red carpet at a CMT awards show while donning a sparkly golden Stetson and hanging with the Backstreet Boys. Doug did all of that while working the crowd like the self-assured little pro that he is.


So, it’s no wonder that a few years back, his net worth was estimated at a cool $3 mill… of course, all pets are priceless but it’s still a pretty impressive number.


Now this most recent accomplishment involves a diploma from the University of New Haven complete with an honorary degree bestowed on him in the area of “Furensic Science”. Mosier had been a regular at the university working with them on social media strategy, so how better to honor the topic at hand than to reward an actual media sensation – in this case, Doug?


Yes, the school and Mosier put their heads together to come up with an appropriate “area of study” for Doug and decided Furensic Science in line with one of the university's most renowned programs, Forensic Science.


No surprise the youthful audience of fellow graduates went crazy when Doug’s name was announced and the popular pup arrived on stage sporting the standard robe and mortarboard cap. Per his mom Mosier, "Students were thrilled and began asking for more Doug. The university, always in tune with its student body, saw this as the perfect chance to create a fun and memorable moment."


What’s next for this over-achiever? Maybe his own talk show, clothing line, advice column…

Mary Simpson
Mary Simpson

Sharing space with three seriously judgy Schnoodles and 2 felines who prefers to be left alone. #LivingMyBestLife

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