Dogs offer us conditional love and companionship that can be an ideal treatment for mental health problems, trauma and loneliness, to name a few.
An adorable video of a dog demanding to have his paw held while out driving with his owner has shown yet again the unique bond dogs can develop with their owners, and delighted viewers online.
In the video posted to the TikTok page @itsgatsbytime, which has 6.7 million views at time of writing, a Cirneco dell’Etna dog named Gatsby can be seen sitting in the front seat of the car while his owner holds his paw. At one point, the owner lets go of his paw and Gatsby immediately lets his displeasure be known and demands that his paw is held.
In a follow-up video, Gatsby’s other owner, who is filming from the back seat, accuses the sweet puppy of stealing her seat. The caption simply reads, “Daddy’s boy.”
“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself,” said 19th-century American humorist Josh Billings.
Our pets love us unconditionally, and scientists have discovered that interacting with a friendly animal can lower blood pressure, slow the heart rate and have a positive effects on the body’s levels of stress-modulating hormones, including cortisol and dopamine.
If you haven’t heard of a Cirneco dell’Etna, it is “likely that the breed has existed in Sicily since its ancestors arrived on its craggy shores some 3,000 years ago in the holds of ships piloted by those master traders of the ancient world, the Phoenicians,” according to the American Kennel Club. They take their name from Mount Etna, the largest volcano in Europe that sits on the east coast of Italy, and were selectively bred over many centuries to become specialist rabbit hunters.
Users on TikTok loved the video.
“Unconditional love. Nothing like it. So soothing to the soul,” said one user, while another said, “This is the sweetest thing EVER!!.” “I have a senior Dachshund that does the same thing. Best copilot ever,” shared another user.
Newsweek has reached out to @itsgatsbytime via Instagram for comment.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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