Kabosu, the dog behind the “doge” meme which became the face of Dogecoin, has died at the age of 18 after enjoying more than a decade of internet fame.
The Japanese Shiba Inu had been suffering from leukemia and liver disease.
“To all of you who loved Kabosu, on the morning of the 24 May, Kabosu crossed the rainbow bridge. Thank you all so much for your support over the years,” Atsuko Sato, her owner, wrote on Instagram.
“She went very peacefully without suffering as if falling asleep while feeling the warmth of my hands petting her. Thank you all so much for loving Kabosu all these years.
“I am certain Kabosu was the happiest dog in the world. That makes me the happiest owner in the world. I would like to express my deepest appreciation to everyone who has sent us much love to us.”
Sato, a teacher in Japan, adopted Kabosu in 2008 when she was sent to an animal shelter after her puppy mill shut down.
Kabosu the dog became an internet sensation in 2010
Kabosu became an internet sensation when a 2010 photo of her with crossed paws and a slight smirk spread on Reddit and Tumblr. A Reddit user referred to the image as “Doge” – the intentional misspelling of dog a nod to a 2005 episode of Homestar Runner.
The doge meme became popular in 2013. Colored Comic Sans text overlays the photo, with broken English phrases like “Wow. So scare” and “What r u doing?” surrounding Kabosu.
In 2021 the “Doge” meme sold as a non-fungible token (NFT) for $4m (£3.2m).
Kabosu is also the face of the cryptocurrency Dogecoin, which was originally created as a “joke” currency and is the sleeve sponsor of Watford Football Club.
For a few days in April, the Dogecoin logo was used as the icon for the Twitter home button.
The Shiba Inu is a breed of hunting dog from Japan
A small-to-medium breed, it is the smallest of the six original breed of dogs native to Japan. Its name literally translates to “brushwood dog”, as it is used to flush game.
A small, alert, and agile dog that copes very well with mountainous terrain and hiking trails, the Shiba Inu was originally bred for hunting. It looks similar to other Japanese dog breeds such as the Akita Inu or Hokkaido, but the Shiba Inu is a different breed with a distinct bloodline, temperament, and smaller size than other Japanese dog breeds.
The Shiba Inu is considered an alert, affectionate, and independent breed with high intelligence but also somewhat stubborn and strong-willed.