Kim Kardashian may be known today for her many fashion magazine covers, but one of her early covers came with an unusual twist. In 2008, she reportedly borrowed a dog from her friend Nicole Richie for a shoot because she did not own one herself.
The story has drawn fresh attention following the release of a new book about Kardashian's rise to fame. Her appearance on the cover of K9 Magazine showed just how determined she was to get her face in front of readers, even before she became a major name in fashion.
The Dog Cover Story
Kardashian's story is revisited in Citizen Kim: The Woman Who Created the Future, a biography by Jonathan Van Meter released on Tuesday, 27 October 2026. The book looks at her path from reality TV fame to her place in fashion and business. The dog cover offers a small but telling glimpse of the drive that shaped her career.
Kim Kardashian wanted to be on a magazine cover so badly that she borrowed Nicole Richie’s dog to appear on the cover of K9 Magazine. – Citizen Kim
— lala | Kimkonic (@laahlaah2023) October 27, 2026
Ladies and Gentlemen, Kim Kardashian first magazine cover.
She told her staff to put this cover next to Vogue. ICONIC #CitizenKim pic.twitter.com/9MpNYqtg4l
According to Kardashian's account, she asked both Nicole Richie and her sister Khloé Kardashian if she could borrow one of their dogs for the shoot. She did not have a dog of her own at the time, but she was keen to appear on the front of a magazine. She later admitted that she could not even remember which of the two women had provided the dog.
The plan worked, and Kardashian landed the cover of K9 Magazine in 2008. The moment became a funny part of her story because she was so eager to get the chance, even though she was not known for being a dog lover. It also gave her a cover she would later keep as a reminder of her early days in the public eye.
In the season finale of The Kardashians, Kim reflected on her K9 Magazine cover and how far she has come. Scott Disick joked that she is not even fond of dogs, to which Kim responded that she would do 'anything for a cover' even if it meant borrowing one. The SKIMS founder has been featured on Vogue, Elle, and Harper's Bazaar, but her K9 Magazine cover remains one of her most memorable milestones.
A Cover Beside Vogue
Years later, Kardashian revealed that she still keeps the dog magazine cover on display near her private office. The walls also feature larger covers from her later career, showing how much her public image has changed over time. Rather than hide the old photo, she has chosen to keep it alongside some of her biggest fashion moments.
Kardashian recalled that her staff once suggested taking the dog cover down, but she did not agree with the idea. She wanted it to stay on the wall beside her Vogue cover, making it clear that the early photo still mattered to her. For Kardashian, the image was not just an old picture but a reminder of the first steps she took towards the career she has today.
Her story also shows that not every career milestone begins with a major fashion house or a famous designer. Sometimes, a small chance can become a lasting memory, especially when someone is willing to take it. Kardashian's choice to keep the cover suggests that she has not forgotten the effort it took to get noticed.
From Dogs to Fashion
Although the dog magazine cover was an early milestone, it was not Kardashian's first magazine cover. She appeared on the cover of Complex in 2007, before appearing on the cover of K9 Magazine in 2008. The dog-themed shoot is best known as an unusual moment from her early rise to fame, rather than her first magazine cover.
Since then, Kardashian has become a familiar face in fashion, with covers that reach far beyond magazines for dog lovers. Her career has grown through reality television, beauty, clothing and other business projects, helping her build a name that reaches audiences around the world. The contrast between those later covers and her early dog photo makes the story stand out.
The story remains memorable because it shows a lighter side of Kardashian's ambition. Borrowing a friend's dog may seem like a small detail now, but it gave her a cover that she still values nearly two decades later. Her decision to keep the photo beside Vogue serves as a reminder that even a star's biggest success can begin with an unexpected opportunity.
