Viral TikTok sensation Tika the Iggy is a dog with 300 outfits – New York Post

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Forget the catwalk. You better work the “dog” walk.
That’s exactly what Tika the Iggy, a mega-popular Italian greyhound with more than 2 million followers on both TikTok and Instagram, does every day. The 9-pound pooch has a larger-than-life personality on social media — and a sizable wardrobe to match.
“I think now we’re up to almost 300 items in her closet,” dog dad Thomas Shapiro told The Post. “She has her own closet space, her own everything. It’s intense. She has way more clothes than me and my husband.” The Montreal-based web developer and his husband, Louis, welcomed a baby boy, Harry, to the family in March.
Their stylish dog-daughter, however, steals the show. Tika dons elaborate costumes and struts down the hallway like it’s the runways of Paris and Milan. From a sparkly pink ballgown to a rainbow tulle dress, the colorful looks have also earned the canine “self-proclaimed gay icon” status, according to Shapiro. 
He spends up to 10 hours a week on content creation, not including running the business, fielding sponsored deals and selling merchandise. “Anything with Tika’s face on it” is up for grabs. A men’s T-shirt costs $35, and a mug goes for $14. Plus a potential book deal is in the works.
“There’s a lot of people who want to work with [Tika], so there’s a lot of lucrative deals out there,” the busy pet influencer admitted. “I work as a web developer, so my 9-to-5 job pays well. But I’ve made more in the … first half of 2021 than I would in a few years at my job.” 
A chunk of that change goes to acquiring new “made-to-fit” couture looks for the dog, although fans may see a few repeats across platforms. “She does do some outfit repeating, but it’s not in an offensive way,” Shapiro said.
Tika’s “Vogue”-worthy looks are both fabulous and functional. To protect against Montreal, Canada’s cold winters, the small dog needs to wear extra layers. “We are always dressing her up in things that are comfortable [and] a little more extra. She has lots of sequins, lots of faux fur, feathers,” her doting owner said.
It doesn’t hurt that the pooch’s proportions lend themselves to a high-fashion look, and every outfit is made to measure for the dog’s unique frame.  
“She’s also got these long limbs, a very skinny waist, a big rib cage, a long neck, and then a very funny, quirky face,” Shapiro gushed. “So she’s kind of got all the characteristics that you would see in a traditional supermodel on the runway.”
The success has allowed Tika’s owners to give back to charities that are meaningful to them. They donate to Rainbow Railroad, a Toronto-based organization that helps provide a safe haven to LGBTQ+ people around the world who are seeking asylum in Canada. 
“It’s important for me to give back, period,” the proud papa said. “She can’t just be a gay icon without putting in the work. Talk the talk, but also walk the walk.” 
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