DOGS skipped the tapping. Most Telegram airdrops of 2024 asked people to tap a coin for weeks. DOGS, built around a dog drawing associated with Telegram's founder, rewarded something users already had: the age and activity of their Telegram account. That one design choice made it fast to join and hard to farm, and it is the most useful lesson in it for anyone launching their own airdrop.
What made the DOGS model different
| Tap-to-earn airdrop | DOGS-style airdrop | |
|---|---|---|
| How you qualify | Hours of tapping and upgrades | Signals the user already has (account age, activity) |
| Time to join | Weeks | Seconds |
| Farming risk | High: bots and scripts tap forever | Lower: new fake accounts have no history |
| What keeps users | The game loop | Referrals, community and the listing date |
The second half of the lesson is referrals. Once the allocation is decided by something hard to fake, referrals become the main way to grow, and they need the same protection: a referral should only count when the invited person does something real.
Why most airdrops get farmed
Any reward that can be earned by an action a script can repeat will be farmed: taps, empty sign-ups, unverified tasks, referrals that never do anything. Farmers create thousands of accounts, collect the allocation and sell it on day one, which crushes the price for the real community. See our longer guide to the Telegram airdrop bot for the controls that work.
How to run a DOGS-style airdrop bot
- Reward signals that are expensive to fake: account age, completed and verified tasks, real referrals.
- Verify referrals: an invite only counts once the friend completes a task. ShipWeb3's Referral bot works this way.
- One wallet per account and withdrawal limits, so a farm cannot drain the pool in one night.
- Decide push or claim: sending tokens to everyone costs gas for dead wallets; a claim flow lets only active users collect.
- Announce dates early and keep the bot busy with tasks and broadcasts until distribution.
What ShipWeb3 sells here
Ready-made Telegram bots for this exact flow: the Referral bot ($50) with verified, multi-level referrals and weekly contests, and the Instant USDT Paying bot ($49) for tasks and payouts from a wallet you control. Each page shows the real screens and a live demo. Customisation is paid after purchase.
Common questions
What was the DOGS airdrop?
A 2024 Telegram airdrop built around a dog mascot that rewarded users mainly for the age and activity of their Telegram accounts rather than for tapping.
Can I copy the DOGS model for my project?
You can copy the idea: reward signals that are hard to fake, verify referrals and limit withdrawals. Do not copy its name or branding.
How do I stop airdrop farming?
Verify tasks and referrals, allow one wallet per account, add withdrawal limits and review large claims.
Do I need a token to run an airdrop bot?
No. Many bots pay in points or USDT first and decide on a token later.
