Cara Small
Most people love dogs. To play with them is rewarding. If I am understanding correctly, the more the coins are traded, the more people value them, and believe they work. This in turn adds more actual value to the coin itself. That is why I think Pete chose them. Because they are relatively new and easier to get into than bitcoin, it means I get a feel for how the world of digital exchange works at very little risk while playing with a digital coin that has the face of a wonderful animal as it's mascot.