She stands only about 11 inches high and weighs a mere 8 pounds, but this powerhouse of a pup has achieved a larger-than-life following on a local, regional, national and, yes, even global level. An advocate for adoption, fostering, spaying/neutering and the importance of “paying it forward,” she also is a voice for the “tripawd” community of three-legged dogs and a fashionista, wearing beautiful handmade dresses wherever she goes to passionately share her message of the importance of loving our pets unconditionally, just as they love us.
Her name is “Miss Olive,” and the cute-as-can-be canine has a weekly podcast called “The Doggy Diva Show,” a widespread social media audience (with more than 23,000 followers on Facebook!) and a bi-monthly article in Suncoast Pet that offers live-saving pet tips, as well as spotlights on her very favorite pet products and organizations.
But that’s not all. Miss Olive and her mom, Susan Marie, are the authors of not one, but two books—“Miss Olive Finds Her ‘Furever’ Home, published two years ago, and “Miss Olive Finds Her ‘Furever’ Friends,” newly released in April of this year.
The inspiration for The Doggy Diva Diaries series is none other than Sophia, the Doggy Diva, who also was the motivation for “The Doggy Diva Show,” which debuted as a local pet show from the viewpoint of a tiny rescue dog 17-plus years ago in a small radio station in Sarasota.
Sophia was an Italian Greyhound that was rescued from poor living conditions by Susan Marie and her husband, John. As the “face” of the weekly radio show, Sophia also became a “voice for the voiceless,” advocating for abused, homeless and abandoned animals throughout the country and around the world, while promoting fostering, adoption and spaying/neutering.
Along with Susan, Sophia, the Doggy Diva, began her writing career in 2007 as the author of “Diva Delights,” a regular feature that has appeared in the pages of Suncoast Pet magazine for the last 13 years. Although Sophia, the Doggy Diva, journeyed to the Rainbow Bridge in September 2013, her legacy continues, now with a global audience. “The Doggy Diva Show” can be heard on Pet Life Radio, the #1 Pet Podcast Radio Network that airs 24/7 and has 100 million-plus listeners.