I’ve pet that dog! Cedar Falls boy builds an online following telling stories of the dogs he’s pette

Gideon Kidd really loves dogs. And he wants to share that love.

The 9-year-old from Cedar Falls is the canine enthusiast behind the I've Pet That Dog Twitter account, which has garnered more than 98,000 followers since launching in April.

The concept behind @IvePetThatDog and an accompanying website is simple: Gideon heads out almost every day, searching for new dogs to pet. He then posts pictures and short stories about the dogs he encounters online.

Asked why he started the project, Gideon didn't hesitate.

'One, I love all dogs, and two, I want to show the public pictures of dogs, these amazing creatures,” Gideon said. 'They're all different. If they were all the same color, same breed, same size, I don't think people would love them as much. They all have their own personality.”

His mom, Rachel Braunigan, is an integral part of I've Pet That Dog's success. She drives him around as they search for dogs and usually is the one taking the photos and writing down the dog's stories.

'I just walk up to people and ask, ‘Hi, can I pet your dog?' Only a few people do not let us take a picture of a dog and post it on our website,” Gideon said. 'Mom writes down the notes. She posts them on the Twitter account. She is like my little helper.”

They started the website in September 2016, far before launching the Twitter account. Twitter is when their dog-petting efforts started going viral; each post can get thousands of likes and hundreds of retweets. Gideon has been interviewed by Iowa Public Radio, People and more, and recently 'Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda followed him and liked a photo, to Gideon's delight.

'It's very strange. It's not something we're used to at all,” Braunigan said of the attention. 'We're slowly adjusting to it. But it's a lot of fun. The website and the Twitter account has kind of taken on a life of its own.”

The whole thing was Gideon's idea, she said.

'He always asked everyone, ‘Can I pet your dog?' He asked me once if he could take pictures of every dog he met, and said that he wanted to show everyone the pictures. I said, ‘You mean a website?' And he said, ‘Yes, that's what I mean.'”

Gideon has been invited to pet some well-known dogs, like a recent trip to pet Drake University's mascot Griff the Bulldog.

'I like bulldogs because they are so adorable,” Gideon said. 'I also like Chihuahuas and St. Bernards. I like Chihuahuas because they're so tiny and precious. I like St. Bernards because they're so big. When they're a puppy, you can't tell they're a puppy.”

When he's not out searching for new dogs to pet, Gideon said he likes giving belly rubs to his own dog, a husky-beagle mix named Walter, as well as playing with his pet gerbils, seeing his friends and playing piano, drums, bells and snare.

He said he has pet more than 380 dogs since he started in 2016. He doesn't plan to stop anytime soon. His goal?

'A million dogs,” he said.

l Comments: (319) 398-8339; alison.gowans@thegazette.com

Photos and captions courtesy @IvePetThatDog I pet Summer. She is 1-year-old and is from a farm. She likes to run. She will give kisses and if you blow on her nose, she will gnaw on your face. Her caregiver says she is either dreaming about being crazy or is being crazy.

I pet Cookie. She is a 9-year-old Shih Tzu, Bichon Frise mix. Cookie broke her back and had surgery. The vet said she might not walk again or even live — but she did! Cookie is smart. Her caregiver once locked her keys and Cookie in the car. On demand, Cookie unlocked the doors!

I pet Viking. He is a 7-year-old dog who came from Georgia. His caregiver saw his picture online and knew she wanted him even though he was heartworm positive. He is healthy now. He is protective but friendly. His caregiver says every stranger becomes a friend to Viking.

I pet Bones. He is a 15-month-old boxer at Cedar Bend Humane Society who needs a home. He is very calm and snugly. He was kicked in the eye by a horse and had surgery for it. Bones will sit for treats. He likes to grab bags of treats and walk around with them as if they all belong to him.

I pet Kyah. She is a 1 1/2-year-old husky. Kyah is an active dog who goes to day care when her caregiver is not home. She loves other dogs, squirrels and howling. Her favorite thing is Dairy Queen ice cream.

I pet Meri. She is a 6-month-old purebred husky. She came from a breeder in western Iowa. Meri's grandfather was a champion Iditarod sled dog. Meri might make a good sled dog, but she is not very good with screen doors. She always runs into them. (Photos and captions courtesy @IvePetThatDog)

I pet Little Bud. He was also adopted from the Cedar Bend Humane Society recently. He is a Chihuahua, pug mix. His caregivers call him their 'little summer sausage.'