Johnathan Lower and his golden retriever, Teddy, are online stars thanks to their funny videos, which also help raise awareness of dogs in need of adoption.
Photo by Matthew Franklin Carter
Johnathan Lower and Teddy
Reside in: Piedmont.
Claim to fame: Funny skits propelled Teddy and Lower’s popularity on social media, and their videos regularly rack up millions of views. The pup has played the roles of doctor, mechanic, prankster, crime fighter and more. Whatever the skit, the LOLs are guaranteed, and Teddy’s “cheeser” smile takes the cake for cuteness.
Most beloved: It’s hard for Lower to choose a favorite video, but a “kissing booth” skit from earlier this year stands out for him. “There’s about 30 girls waiting in line to get their turn at the kissing booth with Teddy, and I end up getting trampled by the crowd of girls going for Teddy,” Lower said.
Follow them: Find Lower and Teddy on Instagram @aguyandagoldenn, TikTok @aguyandagolden and Facebook at Aguyandagolden.
It was love at first sight when Johnathan Lower first set eyes on his “soul dog” in 2019. “Teddy’s little ears were flopping. I didn’t even have to see him more than that to know that he was my dog,” Lower said.
Teddy was just 8 weeks old when Lower brought him home. The pair became TikTok sensations during the pandemic when Lower posted a video of a storage space under the stairs of his home that he had turned into a lavish $5,000 custom doghouse for the golden retriever, complete with welcome mat, fireplace, TV, plush bed and a human-sized second entrance. Fast-forward, and Teddy and Lower now have a fan base of more than 4 million Instagram followers and 8 million TikTok followers.
“We didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I didn’t build Teddy’s doghouse to get a following. I just downloaded TikTok right after the pandemic. Just for the fun of it one night, I uploaded a video of Teddy’s doghouse, and it just absolutely blew up,” Lower said.
Lower has turned their fame into a positive influence: From bringing joy to kids in hospital beds to being a hit in nursing homes, Lower says his main hope is to spread positivity and help people through tough times.
“I got a message last year about a police officer in Kentucky that got a call that a guy was about to jump off a bridge. He got to the scene and the guy was watching our videos, and it just pulled him out of that,” Lower said.
Lower also uses their online platform to bring more awareness about dogs that have no permanent homes. Through a feature he calls Shelter Dog Saturday, he picks up a dog at a shelter, takes the dog out for a day and makes a video. So far, he’s helped more than 55 featured dogs get adopted.
Through thick and thin, Teddy and Lower are there for each other. Lower gave Teddy a home. Then, when Lower’s father passed away from cancer in 2021, Teddy was a source of comfort.
“I don't think I'll ever be able to repay him. He’s just a special dog,” Lower said.
Johnathan Lower and Teddy sit inside Teddy’s luxurious custom doghouse Lower built beneath his staircase.
Photo by Matthew Franklin Carter