Taking Care w/ Topher Brophy

You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all the other podcast platforms. New episodes post on Tuesdays.

Becoming A Dog Dad Was Only The Beginning of Fatherhood

Photo by Chantal Adair - @thedogstyler

Photo by Chantal Adair - @thedogstyler

About The Episode

Growing up in New York City, Topher Brophy wasn’t allowed to have any animals where he was living. But at one point, his parents decided to bend the rules and get a kitten. That cat, Emmett, turned out to be a crucial part of childhood for Topher and helped him get through the trials and tribulations of dealing with early growing pains. He realized at that point how important animals were to us as humans.

In early adulthood, Topher was feeling like a zombie – numb to life, not understanding his emotions, not having a real sense of who he was as a person. And he didn’t even fully realize the emotional void he was in for a long time. Over time, by going to therapy and educating himself about what he was going through, he realized what he might need in his life was to restore that animal connection in his life and become a Dog Dad.

He adopted a half Poodle, half Australian Sheperd who joined him in NYC. At the time, Topher was living in South Williamsburg in Brooklyn. It was a predominantly Jewish area, so he decided on the name Rosenberg to help him fit into the neighborhood and reflect Topher's own Jewish heritage. Rosenberg quickly became Topher’s focus, including making sure he stayed his healthiest mentally and physically, which only confirmed that a key element of what had been missing in his life was acting on compassion to take care of someone else. Part of that process was Rosenberg getting socialized, which in turn opened up Topher himself to interact with others in a new type of way and build a new branch of community.

In their interactions around the city, people started telling Topher that he and Rosenberg looked like. While at first he didn’t think much of it, the same comparisons kept coming up in conversation. At one point, through a challenge, they wore the same outfit one day. Their fellow NYC residents loved it and Topher saw the joy it brought to others. He thought it would be worth bringing their dual-dressing-dynamic online and thought that the visual medium of Instagram would be best. Seeking out someone who worked with both animals and clothes, Topher found Chantal Adair, otherwise known as The Dog Styler. They started Topher’s account with her running the creative direction.

Photo by Chantal Adair - @thedogstyler

Photo by Chantal Adair - @thedogstyler

Soon enough, Topher and Rosenberg’s photos (with Chantal as the artistic genius behind the scenes) found an audience. They have a colorful, playful, and engaging look to them – which work great on the platform. However, a key thing they realized quickly was how important it was to use the platform for good, too, so they’ve made sure to have the posts also be message-driven and bring in ideas of inclusion, positivity, and bringing people together through our shared love for our furry companions.

Along the way, Topher and Chantal’s relationship turned from more than just a creative partnership to also a romantic one, and eventually got married. Now, they’ve been growing their family – with a young son, Topper, and a new baby daughter, Tippie. Plus, a new furry brother for Rosenberg, their new puppy, Heaven. Topher has found his pack.

About The Guest - Topher Brophy

Topher Brophy is a creator who has gained an international following on Instagram with playful photos of his dog, Rosenberg, where they dress up in matching outfits and truly look alike. While the images are both fun and imaginative they also carry a positive social message of acceptance, too. Before getting Rosenberg, Topher had been going through the motions in life, feeling like he had an emotional void and was too self-absorbed. It was only after becoming a Dog Dad that led to a new path in his life, which led to meeting his co-creator, photographer and wife Chantal Adair (aka The Dog Styler), and their family of both human and canine kids.

Featured Links

InterviewJack SommerMental Health, Family, Art / Creativity