Everyone who is online knows the “Doge” crypto meme just by first glance. But do we really know the doggie behind the meme?
Meet Kabosu, a 17-year-old Shiba Inu from Sakura, Japan. She currently lives with her ‘hooman’, and three cats named Azalea, Ginnan, and Onigiri.
Kabosu’s photo (we all know which one) went viral after Atsuko Sato (her ‘hooman’) posted pictures of her on her blog back in 2010. In the photo, Kabosu can be seen on the couch with her legs crossed, with a seemingly concerned face.
Atsuko Sato maintains a blog website, as well as an Instagram and YouTube for Kabosu and their family’s other pets, where they post updates and cute memories of the beloved pets.
In December 2022, Kabosu was revealed to have been diagnosed with chronic lymphoma leukemia, hich was an inflammatory condition of the liver and bile ducts. In an Instagram post then, Sato described her condition as “very dangerous” and that Kabosu had stopped eating and drinking.
Afterwards, Sato posted that the Internet’s beloved doggo had been slowly recovering, which was celebrated by fans by sending congratulatory and supportive messages.
Kabosu has been quite the popular doggo on the Internet, albeit being connected to and the face of the “Dogecoin cryptocurrency’. Most recently, Twitter CEO Elon Musk replaced its iconic blue bird logo (which is why we call it the ‘Bird’ app) with Kabosu’s viral photo, and people were quite surprised with this change.
At the same time, people have been rallying to stop seeing Kabosu as just a face for cryptocurrency. Which is true; Kabosu deserves so much more than just being associated to the crypto bros.
im so tired of doge commodification. her name is kabosu and she does not care for crypto pic.twitter.com/4zW4N2SUvR
— Dooblerino (@cinna_derg) April 3, 2023
"doge is a reference to dogecoin" i hope you eat cement. doge is a friend from a much simpler time. she does not deserve to have her reputation tarnished by the likes of cryptoshmucks.
— mel 🌻 (@popplios) April 3, 2023
KABOSU THE DOG IS LITERALLY STILL ALIVE. She's an old lady who can't move around much anymore but whos getting spoiled rotten every day till the end https://t.co/BgrQpcSIEN pic.twitter.com/zOaYLcvUMn
— dracula bong rip (@tai_HMQ) April 3, 2023
sweet old Kabosu doesnt deserve to be associated with crypto losers and billionaire douchebags 🙁 pic.twitter.com/6XC5pvDkaQ
— kenzie (@pk_kenzie) April 4, 2023
https://twitter.com/coherentstates/status/1643053816827322368?s=20
here's 17 year old Kabosu on a stroller ride from yesterday pic.twitter.com/e39gRZBsoe
— MagicalFishing (@MagicalFishing) April 4, 2023
I feel like since everyone is talking about the Twitter icon being replaced by Doge, now would be a good time to mention that the dog the meme is based on, Kabosu, is still around!
She is 17 years and 4 months old and very active on Instagram! pic.twitter.com/37luR1hN0N— Ghosty Ghoul (@Chub_Gost) April 3, 2023
https://twitter.com/bumsal/status/1643136309844905987?s=20
why the hell is ash kabosu in business and finance pic.twitter.com/AOqlpTe4MW
— eddie !! (@LUPINVERSE) April 4, 2023
https://twitter.com/Sigilynk/status/1642951293021872128?s=20
Kabosu is a very good dog, and does not deserve to be associated with such nastiness https://t.co/Mtvugk1oDW
— Eski🌸🌺🌷 (@Eskiworks) April 4, 2023
The main icon at the top of Twitter has been turned from a blue bird into a photo of Kabosu, a Japanese Shiba Inu dog from Chiba prefecture. Sato Atsuko, Kabosu's owner, posted the original photo on her blog in 2010. Internet users later turned it into the famous "Doge" meme… pic.twitter.com/NimQs19yHC
— Jeffrey J. Hall 🇯🇵🇺🇸 (@mrjeffu) April 4, 2023
In a way I feel like Kabosu the dog becoming a mascot for crypto bros is even worse than what happened to Pepe because she's literally just someone's real-life dog
— 🏳️⚧️🐝Bee'Jam Blues🐝🇵🇸 (@Bee_Kirby) April 3, 2023
The dog behind the #Doge meme and #Dogecoin cryptocurrency is named Kabosu and she still lives with her owner Atsuko Sato @kabosumama in Sakura, Japan. Kabosu was a rescue dog and became a meme after Atsuko uploaded photos of Kabosu, including the one below, on her blog in 2010. pic.twitter.com/x5Kliw2DVf
— Dogecoin (@dogecoin) April 3, 2023
The guy who started Dogecoin as a joke at the expense of cryptocurrency as a concept has gone on the record saying that he's really depressed that anyone has taken it remotely seriously.
Also: Original Doge is a rescue dog named Kabosu and she is a very good girl.
— Fire of the Mind (@NotConvincing) April 3, 2023
https://twitter.com/NikkiOphan/status/1643769434795036672?s=20
So here's a question. Is Twitter paying Atsuko Sato, the owner of Best Girl Kabosu ( https://t.co/cgKMgkKb9e ) for use of this image? https://t.co/5DSEyYrdUN
— Sy Almans (@syalmans) April 3, 2023
Other POP! stories that you might like:
Meet Bobi, the newly crowned ‘world’s oldest dog ever’
Crate Training: Is ‘caging’ beneficial to dogs’ well-being?
If dogs can dream, what do they dream about?
Filipinos online deal with nostalgia as iconic web forum PinoyExchange bids goodbye
This Chinese 3D device allows long-distance relationship couples to kiss ‘virtually’