A CUTE pooch from Liskeard has attracted a global following on the social media site Instagram.

Bobby-Dazzler (or bobbydazlr, his Instagram user-name) is a three-year-old Chihuahua who likes walks, treats and cuddles by the fireside.

Nothing unusual there you might think – but within a few weeks of adopting a profile, Bobby-Dazzler had attracted more than 500 followers keen to catch his every yap on the photo-based social media platform.

The pint-sized personality has made canine friends all over the world, most of whom simply 'like' his photos of daily life with his family: Hamish the cat, Lady the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Penny the miniature pony.

'It's surprised me – I only went on there as a bit of fun,' said owner Katy Tustain, 25. 'I didn't realise how serious it is for some people. There are some dog owners in Japan whose pets have thousands of followers. It's huge!'

A quick peek into the accounts of some of Bobby-Dazzler's followers reveals a trend for pet profiles that may easily outstrip the popularity of their owners' pages; Chanel the Australian Cavoodle has more than 1,000 followers, and Violet, the 'undercover alien and professional dog,' almost 7,000.

For Katy, the interaction on Instagram provides a change to Facebook.

'I had just got fed up with reading the stupid things people wrote,' she explained.

'I deleted my Facebook account, and thought "Let's do a page for my dog." I've only been on Instagram for a couple of months and Bobby-Dazzler has 550 followers. It's surprising, but it's nice that other people like him so much – and I get to see all the photos of their pets.'

Most of Bobby's followers are in China and Japan, says Katy.

But a nice aspect of Instagram, she says, is that there are no language barriers. Users post only short comments, if at all, and mainly stick to using emojis to say how they feel.

And although the compliments keep pouring in from adoring fans, Bobby Dazzler has not become a doggy diva, she says.

'Lady, Hamish and Penny have muscled in a bit, and like to be involved in the photos, but Bobby is cool with that... he can share the spotlight.'