A man has captured the moment his dog realized he had discovered a new best friend living just over the fence in the house next door.
In a video posted to TikTok under the handle buddyletch, a man living in Australia captured footage of his German shepherd sniffing around and leaping up upon a section of the wooden fence in his backyard.
Within seconds, it becomes apparent why the dog has been drawn to this particular area of the fence, as another canine, quite possibly a yellow Labrador, leaps up as if coming to say hello to their new neighbor.
"He found a new best friend," a caption accompanying the video reads. At the time of writing, the clip, which can be watched here, has been viewed over 4.9 million times.
It might be a cute video showcasing a blossoming friendship, but it could have far- reaching impact for the pet owner behind the camera and his dog.
Last year, a study published in the journal Evolution, Medicine & Public Health, found a link between routine social interaction between dogs and better health outcomes for the canines involved, compared with those who lived a more isolated pet lifestyle.
Researchers looked at the way factors like income, age of owner and neighborhood stability impacted dog lifespans and overall health.
They found that while greater personal finance and stability in the neighborhood was linked to better health in dogs, the effect of social companionship was five times more likely to boost the lifespan of a dog. Simply put, having fellow canine friends might help dogs live longer.
This all bodes well for the pet owner in the video and his German shepherd, which seemed very keen on striking up a bond with his Labrador neighbor.
Many of those watching on TikTok were simply happy to enjoy two dogs interacting in a lovable and goofy way.
"They nose booped," one viewer noticed. "When is the wedding?" Another warned: "that fence has a few days left on the planet."
"Wait till they start digging under the fence to play," a third said, with a fourth writing: "My German Shepherd has a golden retriever friend next door as well. They do this anytime the other one is outside."
Another user added: "They're so pure like, they just immediately want to be friends and play and share love," while another pondered: "How long till they figure they can both clear the fence?"
Someone else suggested: "Maybe cut a small hole towards the bottom of the fence so they can FaceTime," with a similar idea coming from a fellow Redditor who wrote: "they need a doggy door on the fence."
Newsweek has reached out to buddyletch for comment.
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
Jack Beresford is a Newsweek Senior Internet Culture & Trends Reporter, based in London, UK. His focus is reporting on ... Read more
