Charles Barkley, the bulldog and not the former NBA player, has become an overnight Internet sensation.

Charles Barkley is a French bulldog whose owners, Paul and Melissa, named him after the basketball star who regularly appears on sports shows such as Inside The NBA.

They had no idea that their pet bulldog would become a viral hit when they started posting photos of Charles Barkley on Instagram.

"We didn't want to blow up our own Instagram accounts with his pics," Melissa told Mashable. So, Melissa created an independent Instagram account just for pictures of her pooch.

"He ended up gaining more followers than we ever expected ant that's when we realized we really have to keep up with his account."

Now, after an appearance on ABC's Good Morning America, Sir Charles Barkley's Instagram account has more than 8,000 followers. His owners have posted adorable images of the bulldog, including in oversized boxers and in basketball sneakers in front of a picture of Michael Jordan, since they got their pup in June 2012.

It's possible that the French Bulldog will try to replicate the success of another internet famous animal: Grumpy Cat. Grumpy Cat, also known as Tardar Sauce, has garnered thousands of fans with her downturned mouth that makes her look like she is always in a bad mood.

Owner Tabatha Bundesen explained, "Tardar has what looks kind of like an under bite. She looked unique, as did her brother, at birth, with a flat face, bubble eyes, and a short tail."

Tardar Sauce became an instant hit, with memes popping up all over the Internet. She even made an appearance at the South By Southwest Festival.

The Internet has always been a haven for cute animal images and videos, and now with the prevalence of social media sites, it looks like these animals have some staying power in the celebrity world. Grumpy Cat and Charles Barkley may just be paving the way for a new breed of Internet celebrity.

But regardless of Barkley's new fame, his owners will love him forever. Melissa said, "He knows how to sit, sit pretty, lay down, roll over, shake both hands and play dead. That's when we learned he'll do almost anything for food. From his snorting, whining, burping and farting - he makes us laugh every day."