Pablo enjoys some cuddle time with dad Chad Dressen as Ramsey looks on.

Tonight, Ramsey and Pablo have the night off.

Without cameras or the pressures of filming, they act like normal dogs. Ramsey, the Doberman, lies comfortably on the hardwood floor, gnawing at a bone in front of the couch while Pablo, the Chihuahua, scampers noisily back and forth between the living room and bedroom several times before settling into cozy spot on top of a fuzzy blanket.   

There is no inkling of celebrity from either one. They don’t make demands of pedicures, sorted M&Ms or 800-thread count bed sheets. One would never guess that these two unassuming dogs have thousands of fans around the world. But they do.

What started as a simple method for sending cute dog videos from Chaska to family and friends a few years ago has since snowballed into an international phenomenon that has left dog owner Chad Dressen flabbergasted.

“I used YouTube to send videos (of the dogs) to family and friends,” said the 1994 CHS grad. “I expected to get a chuckle out of a family member, but the videos started getting a lot of comments and people were asking for more.”

Thankfully, Ramsey and Pablo were happy to oblige their growing fan base. Today, a new video of the Doberman and the Chihuahua can generate tens of thousands of clicks in a matter of weeks.

“Every video is bigger than the next,” said Dressen who has thousands of subscribers and more than 6 million hits on his Web site for the dogs.

Chemistry

It has become a Sunday night ritual for Dressen and the dogs to put up a new video of their adventures. In their 66 videos to date, they have covered all of the aspects of their everyday life from games of hide and seek and playing in the snow to stolen bones and stolen mail.

“I’ve never once set anything up,” said Dressen, insisting that the chemistry between the dogs is as real on-screen as it is off-screen.

The interaction between the Doberman and the Chihuahua began almost as soon as Pablo entered their lives, Dressen said. The regal Ramsey, who had already made a name for herself in Dressen’s home, graciously accepted the addition of the scrappy Pablo.

“I think Ramsey thinks Pablo is hers,” said Dressen. “Like she gave birth to him.”

Dressen said that Ramsey is protective of the little dog – often cleaning him and staying close to his side. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t times when the Chihuahua pushes the Doberman’s buttons. Dressen has video of that, too.

Perhaps his favorite is a video called “Doberman Attack” in which Ramsey slowly stalks Dressen before pouncing on him. It’s a game they play regularly and Dressen lets the video run long enough to show that he is in control of the situation by telling an obedient Ramsey to “sit.”

Changing people’s minds about Dobermans is part of the reason Dressen continues to post his videos. So far, it seems to be working.

“Hundreds of people have sent me messages saying they’ve changed their minds about them,” said Dressen, adding that some have even named their own Dobermans after Ramsey.

The popularity of Ramsey and Pablo has also resulted in a variety of ventures for them from becoming a Google partner to selling T-shirts to an appearance on America’s Funniest Home Video. “I still don’t know who sent that in,” admitted Dressen.

Next up, a video of Ramsey will compete for a chance at $10,000 in the Bissell Pet Games Video Contest. Dressen said he’s not looking to make a profit off of his dogs, though.

Instead, he plans to donate any of their earnings to a dog charity – like any good celebrity would.

Check out Ramsey and Pablo at either ramseyandpablo or their youtube site.