A dog’s reaction to not getting treats has left the internet in stitches this week.
In a now-viral post on Reddit‘s r/WhatsWrongWithYourDog subreddit, Parker the Chihuahua and Beagle mix’s hilarious expression has gained over 25,000 upvotes.
Peter—named after Spider-Man‘s Peter Parker—lives with the Buckner family in San Diego, California.
“He’s a very dramatic dog with a lot of personality,” owner Jeffery Buckner told Newsweek. “When my wife leaves for work he will sit and stare at the door for around an hour before he goes to sit on the couch or by my desk.”
The Buckner family adopted Parker in August 2019. They already had one dog (Loki) who was found as a stray when he was just six months old.
“Loki got along with our neighbors dogs well so we wanted to get him a friend. Our local shelters announced a no-fee adoption day so we took that as a sign to go looking at that time,” said Buckner.
“My wife went back and looked at the dogs and said there were some cute puppies but didn’t tell me which ones she liked. When I went back there were indeed some very energetic and young puppies.”
But one dog in particular stuck out to them both—an older dog sitting calmly waiting to meet potential owners.
“As I walked down the line there was one dog who looked a little older and was just sitting calmly in his area,” said Buckner. “His name was listed as ‘Yankee’ on the nameplate and I sent my wife a picture of him saying I liked that one.”
Most of the dogs at the shelter had multiple potential owners on a waitlist to adopt them, but this one did not because he was already six years old and had a heart murmur.
“The day I went to get ‘Yankee,’ who we had decided to name Parker at that point, I brought a small travel crate on my way home from work. He was still recovering from anesthesia [after neutering] but was OK to walk out, so I walked him out on the Spider-Man themed leash we bought for him,” said Buckner.
“Everything seemed good until we got to the car. When I opened the door something spooked him and he pulled his head out of the collar that the vet had put on him and he ran. The vet is right next to a major road and Parker ran across six lanes of traffic and trolley tracks.”
Buckner spent two hours running and driving around the neighborhood, trying to find his new pup. Eventually, he got word that Peter had been caught and was back at the vet—dehydrated but otherwise fine.
“He is a very good dog but very smart. He learned that going outside to go to the bathroom led to treats, so he will ask to go outside even when he doesn’t have to go to the bathroom and expects treats each time,” said Buckner. “If we don’t give them to him each time he will sulk if I am there. If my wife is the one that took him out he will yip, whine, playfully growl, and beg.”
In the picture that has left the internet in stitches, Peteris reacting to exactly that—returning indoors after a trip outside and not getting any treats.
Full of expression, his upset face sits underneath a gray blanket.
“Give him treats you monster,” joked one Redditor, while another wrote: “I’m calling the police.”
“He’s got PETA on speed dial,” said another reply, and another wrote: “His disappointment is immeasurable and his day is ruined.”
“He is very lovable towards everyone,” said Buckner. “Even strangers. If repair people come or anyone unknown to him comes to the house he will greet them and follow them to beg for pets or food. While he mostly snuggles with my wife he will come over to me if she wakes up before me, or if she is outside.”
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The post Laughter at Dog’s ‘Dramatic’ Reaction to Not Getting Treats appeared first on Newsweek.
