A video of a dog's hyperactive expression of excitement during an Airbnb stay has gone viral on TikTok, where it has received 5.7 million views.
The brief clip was shared by @mylilfloofy, the TikTok account of a mini Pomeranian named Gnocchi, who is based in New York City and Hawaii. It showed the tiny pup running back and forth and spinning around in circles inside the Airbnb accommodation.
A message overlaid on the video read: "We had to briefly check into an Airbnb last week because something in our apartment needed repair. Thought I'd show you what Gnocchi does for at least five minutes every time we go to a new place [lol] like a fluffy lightning bolt."
The clip was shared with a caption that said: "You didn't think her little feet could move so fast huh?"
Known for their "glorious coat, smiling, foxy face and vivacious personality," Pomeranians are one of the world's most popular toy breeds, according to the American Kennel Club, the world's largest purebred dog registry.
Gnocchi's apparent excitement over new places is not surprising because dogs have an "intense" enthusiasm for new things, according to a November 2012 study.
The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Animal Cognition, said: "Domestic dogs are reported to show intense but transient neophilia [a love for whatever is new] towards novel objects."
The study, which was conducted with Labrador retrievers, found that "loss of interest in the object during object-orientated play in this species is due to habituation to the overall stimulus properties of the toy rather than to any single sensory modality."
@mylilfloofy You didn’t think her little feet could move so fast huh? 🙃 #dog #pomeranian #fyp
♬ Pretty Girl Era - LU KALA
Any change of scene can be beneficial for your pup, according to another study.
The January 2022 study in the peer-reviewed journal Animals found that environmental enrichment (EE) activities resulted in "a significant increase" in the frequency of relaxation behaviors and "a significant reduction" in alert and stress behaviors.
The study said that "conspecific play [playing with other dogs] and playhouse activities" showed "the greatest overall positive behavior change when compared to the other activities."
"EE is commonly described as a technique designed to enhance the quality of life in captive and domestic animals by providing additional and temporary environmental stimuli to promote psychological and physiological well-being," the study said.
The dog's reaction in the TikTok clip has delighted users
Polly Popperz wrote: "Woah! i didn't know Gnocchi had speed like that lolol."
The original poster replied: "Hahaha and after 5 minutes she's back to her lazy self."
User restless412 said: "Gnocchi [is the] most energetic little baby."
User AAAVVV added that the pup must have been "mapping the environment."
MmmauveeV said the dog moved like a "helicopter," while @user.9.0210 wrote: "I love how when they spin they lose the shape of being a dog and just look like a wispy little puff of fur."
Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com 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.
About the writer
Soo Kim is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. She covers various lifestyle stories, specializing in travel and health.
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