BUIES CREEK, N.C. -- If only my kids were bored that way.
Matt Nelson says his inspiration was a way to stave off a little college boredom. He’s a golf management major at Campbell University in Buies Creek (yes, they have such a thing – golf management – for those who want a career in the industry, even though they may not be PGA Tour material) and it was returning from watching a tournament last fall that he had an inspiration.
“My buddies went to an Applebee's,” says Matt. “I asked my friend how his burger was and he said, 'Ten out of 10,' and the idea just came into my head. I got on my [Twitter] account and I was like, 'Hey, would you guys want to see a Twitter that rates dogs?' and people just lost their minds.”
Matt is being kind. They more than lost their minds. He has 362,000 Twitter followers – and he only launched the account last November.
It’s pretty simple, really, 700 or 800 people send him a picture of a dog each day. He and a couple partners then narrow it down to three or so that they tweet out with a funny comment.
Although Matt hasn’t tried to turn this into a business (yet) he has used it to raise some money for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
“We did a 'Mutt Madness,' which is like March Madness except with the top 64 dogs that we've rated so far, based on favorites,” he says.
Not bad for an idea that came off a buddy’s comment about his burger. As for where it’s all going: “I have no idea,” admits Matt. “In November, when I made it, I had no idea it was going to be this. I thought it was just a cure for boredom and, within a few days, I knew it was going to be a little bit more than that.”
We think you’ll agree when you watch this edition of the Buckley Report.
WeRateDogs also has a Facebook page.
