A dog walker from New York City has gone viral on social media after sharing the adventures of one of his clients, Maxwell, who spends his days sitting on strangers’ laps at the park.
In a viral video shared on TikTok in May, under the username @thevillagedogwalker, Maxwell can be seen enjoying a sunny day out in Manhattan with his walker, sitting on different people’s laps and forgetting about all the other dogs around him.
A caption explains: “This is Maxwell, I walk him every day. He finds a new lap every day, every day.” Followed by: “Maxwell loves strangers.”
The poster, 29-year-old Corey Baumer, told Newsweek that Maxwell is the sweetest dog and has been a part of the pack (of dogs he walks) for over two years.
“Maxwell and his parents are amazing clients. Every day Max chooses a different person, or several people, to grace with his charm and cuteness. He is an absolute pleasure to be around and I’m honored to be his walker,” he said.
While Maxwell seems to love every single person, many dogs are afraid of people and have a totally different reaction when they see strangers at the park. This is due to many factors, including their breed, individual personality and level of socialization.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) explains that while your dog may not learn to love everyone they see, training can most definitely help them feel more comfortable around people, including strangers.
One of the most important parts of the training is practicing interactions with multiple people, and making them have a pleasant experience by rewarding their good behavior with treats or petting.
You should also avoid forced interactions when your dog is not up for it, and learn how to read the signs that they are uncomfortable.
The video quickly went viral on social media, getting viewers from across TikTok. It has so far received over 427,900 views and 60,400 likes on the platform.
One user, Whitley Turner, commented: “I request that you please film him climbing up on ppl lol.”
Stephanie said: “What if it turns out he finds the person who needs him the most and sits with them.”
La Jefa added: “I wonder how many people were going through something and Maxwell genuinely made them feel better.”
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.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
The post Dog Sitting on Everyone’s Lap at Park Delights Internet: ‘Loves Strangers’ appeared first on Newsweek.
