A video of a dog eager to say hello to a house guest has gone viral on TikTok, where it had over 743,000 views at the time of writing.
The clip, shared by TikToker @mia_thespringerspaniel, was posted with text overlaying it that reads: “My dog waiting patiently for permission to go say ‘hi’ to our guest and show him her parrot.”
The video shows the springer spaniel (called Mia) sitting at the bottom of a staircase, with her tail furiously batting the carpet and one hind leg stretched to the side, while holding a toy parrot in her mouth. As soon as a voice in the video says “Okay Mia, come say hi, go man” the dog is seen sprinting excitedly toward an entryway.
A caption shared with the video said: “Is it just me or this is heartbreaking?? She is just TOO MUCH #mia_thespringerspaniel #dogtok #dogmum #funnydog.”
Why Do Dogs Bring a Toy Over When Greeting Someone?
In a May 2019 article for the PetMD website, veterinarian Dr. Wailani Sung said that “different dogs have different motivations for bringing a toy to the door.” But among the most common reasons is wanting to play or wanting to “show off” their toy.
Sung said that dogs who greet people with toys may have “learned that their owners give them more attention when they hold something in their mouth, and they like the undivided attention they get when they show off their favorite toy.”
The veterinarian also noted that holding a toy in their mouth can also give dogs that “exhibit a lot of excitable behavior,” such as barking or nipping, an outlet to “redirect” their high energy levels when greeting their owner or another person.
So the owner could have trained the dog in the latest video to grab a toy when it is excited about meeting people.
“After numerous repetitions, a dog can learn to grab a dog toy right away when he hears his owner at the door,” Sung said.
“This is a good solution for dogs that get overexcited and cannot control themselves. It is difficult for a dog to bark and nip when they are holding an item in their mouth,” the veterinarian explained.
Several TikTokers were delighted by the dog’s excited behavior in the latest viral video.
In a comment that got over 1,000 likes, user MOP wrote: “Patient on the outside but bursting on the inside.”
Abby Kirk said: “My spaniel absolutely has to bring anyone who comes in the door a toy it’s so cute!!”
Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment. The latest video has not been independently verified.
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