Owner of 'Heaven is a Dog' Talks Journey to Pet Parenthood and Online Community

Jackie Rakers has always been an animal lover, owning various reptiles and amphibians as a kid and begging her parents to adopt a dog every chance she got. For the latter, the answer was always no...until it wasn't. Today, as a pet influencer in her 30s, Jackie's passion for dogs is on display for thousands to admire and learn from.

We talked to Jackie about what she's learned since becoming a pet parent and the importance of her online community.

Rakers Opens Home to Foster Dogs

We all rejoice as kids when our parents finally agree to bring a dog home. But when we move out on our own, we often leave the family dog behind.

"Going into my sophomore year of high school, I was able to pick out our first family dog Andy, who was a Yorkie mix," Rakers says. "He was kind of my inspiration when I moved out on my own, but I missed having him around all the time."

Unfortunately, Rakers' entry into the real world was accompanied by a very demanding job, so much so that she didn't feel comfortable taking on single pet parenthood full-time. But fortunately for her local animal shelter, she signed up to start fostering.

"I had three fosters before Heaven," Rakers says. "It was my introduction to dogs and showed me what I need to take care of dogs. I loved fostering."

Without fostering, Rakers would have never had the privilege of playing host to Heaven, her fourth foster and first 'foster fail,' a term used to refer to when a foster parent adopts one of their foster dogs.

The Transition to Full-Time Dog Mom

Rakers quickly learned that adopting a dog, although similar in many ways, is not the same as fostering.

Two of the main challenges Rakers found herself facing after adopting Heaven were training an adult dog and budgeting as a twenty-something-year-old.

"Adopting, especially going with a rescue, is about accepting people and animals where they’re at," Rakers says. "People and animals have experiences they’re gonna come with. There was also the budget to think about in my 20s. It was a lot of trial and error."

But neither of those challenges mattered to Heaven.

"Heaven just wanted us to be together," Rakers says. "She was happy no matter what. She was okay with me not knowing necessarily what I was doing. You’re trying to figure out your life. Your dog’s not there to judge your life or your income."

Heaven Charms the Internet

Heaven, along with being 100% a good girl, is part chow chow, boxer, Labrador retriever, Parson Russell terrier, and Pekingese, according to a doggy DNA test. It's this unique combination of breeds and her trademark smile that helped her win People Magazine's World's Cutest Rescue in 2021 and gain a sizable Instagram following.

But the online "stardom" isn't a one-sided ordeal. One thing Rakers has consistently relied on for support since adopting Heaven has been her fellow pet parents on Instagram.

"I love the Instagram community that we’ve found," Rakers says. "Dog owners will always stick together with dog owners and give you advice."

Heaven's Instagram followers get to watch Rakers and Heaven taking on adventures big and small together, from stocking up on treats at the pet supply store to traveling across the country.

"I like to travel with Heaven," Rakers says. "I'm particularly a fan of road trips. To me, it really adds to vacation. So far, she’s been to 44 [contiguous] states with me. The goal is to get her to all 48."

Jackie and Heaven's Advice to New Pet Parents

Since adopting Heaven and choosing to share their adventures online, Rakers has learned many lessons she wishes to pass on to new pet parents.

• Make your pet a top priority: "Never hold back—take them out with you and give them a full life," Rakers says. "Their whole world is their owners, so make them a big part of your life."
• Always be prepared: "Have a pocketful of treats wherever you go," Rakers says.
• Lean on your community: "Everything with a new dog is going to take time," Rakers says, "Always reach out to someone who has a dog, a neighbor, a friend."
• Limit screen time (really!): "Be careful how much time you spend on social media reading into controversial topics, like food versus food," Rakers says. "You need to take care of the dog that’s in front of you. [Dog ownership] is going to look different for everybody."

You can continue to keep up with Rakers and Heaven by following them on Instagram and TikTok.