A rare pink pug has shot to viral fame after stunning the internet with his striking baby blue eyes, pink nose, ears and toes, along with a unique translucent coat that gives his body a rosy hue.

Milkshake, who is believed to be one of less than 100 pink pugs in the world, leaves people in the street 'starstruck' because of his incredible colouring, and now also has an impressive online following after racking up more than 55,000 followers on Instagram in just 16 months.

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Being the only pink pug in his litter, Milkshake's colouring was the first thing owner Maria London, 33, noticed when she saw him, and she knew she 'had to have him'.

The 17-month-old pampered pooch is treated to weekly visits to a dog spa, along with regular brunch dates with marketing manager Maria, who sometimes gets him dolled up in outfits for photoshoots.

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Maria shares her pug's luxury lifestyle on Instagram, where Milkshake has become something of a 'pet influencer' - sometimes even getting recognised when out and about.

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Maria, of Canary Wharf, London, said: "Milkshake is the most famous pink pug on social media.

"His Instagram started just as a bit fun but straight away he got such a positive response.

"A lot of people messaged me saying they'd had a bad day and seeing Milkshake really cheered them up which encouraged me to post more.

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"His following just kept getting bigger and bigger.

"He gets recognised all the time, everywhere we go - not just in London but in different cities too.

"Sometimes people come up and say 'there's a pug just like him on Instagram called Milkshake' and I'm like 'this is Milkshake'.

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"People get a little star struck, it's quite funny. Milkshake loves all the attention.

"We get people messaging every single day asking if they can send him stuff. At Christmas he gets more gifts than I could ever dream of getting.

"He enjoys getting dressed up and posing for all his photo shoots because he knows he's guaranteed to get some chicken after.

"When I do a shoot with him when we're out and about, people will come over and take their own pictures and give him a cuddle. He loves it.

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"He's a very pampered pug. He loves going to the dog spa for a wash, blow dry and pedicure every week.

"Because pugs can have problems with the folds of skin on their face, I wash his face every morning and then put a special powder on. It's like he gets a daily facial. He has a better beauty regime than me."

Milkshake's distinctive pink fur and skin is caused by a lack of pigmentation, inherited from an albino pug in his lineage - albinism being a genetic disorder that often comes with health problems, including blindness or sensitivity to sunlight.

Thankfully, Maria said Milkshake is lucky not to have any health complications, having only inherited the albino colouring.

Along with all those spa breaks and brunch dates, the pug also takes part in national dog shows and often collaborates with other (human) influencers for events and photo or video shoots.

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He even has his own dog sitter and trainer, who is currently training Milkshake up so he can make the move into adverts and films.

But his most important job of all is, of course, being a loving and loyal companion for Maria, who continued: "I had never even heard of pink pugs before but when I went to the breeder and spotted Milkshake I thought he was adorable and knew I had to have him.

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"They're very rare. At the time, I think Milkshake was one of 30 in the world but there have been a few litters. There's no more than 100 worldwide.

"He's not actually albino, he just has the colouring so he doesn't suffer from any sight loss or hearing loss. He's a happy healthy boy.

"He's very quirky. He sleeps on my head at night and he's a very loud snorer. Luckily it doesn't bother me because I'm a heavy sleeper.

"Pugs are known as Velcro dogs because they always have to be near you and Milkshake is the same. He has no boundaries or idea of personal space.

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"He's a happy-go-lucky dog and he's very friendly. He gets himself in trouble sometimes at the park because he tries to approach every person and every dog and give them a lick.

"He's very affectionate and playful and he loves children. He needs someone with him all the time, he's like a baby.

"But I freelance and work from home lots so he's very spoiled. If I do have to go to meetings, I make sure they're at a dog-friendly cafe and take Milkshake with me.

"He's so chilled out, I've even been thinking of training him as a therapy dog. It's quite amazing the effect he has on people.