Welcoming a new baby into the family is an exciting time for everyone involved, but one golden retriever has shown just how unimpressed she was by the new bundle of joy her humans brought home.
It's been a wild ride for Leila the 4-year-old golden retriever who has been pampered with her own birthday parties, trips to the pet store, all the Puppacinos she could wish for, and of course, trips to see Santa Paws. But recently, her owners, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, gave Leila a different kind of surprise when they introduced her to her new baby sister, and it's safe to say she wasn't happy.
In a hilarious TikTok video posted last month by user @leilathegoldenretriever, Leila was caught frowning at the mere sight of her newborn sister, and there was no denying the look of horror in her eyes. The initial shock seems to have worn off now, but Leila's owner told Newsweek that she's "still unsure where this little human came from."
Leila was undoubtedly dismayed about the newest member of the family, but social media users can't get enough of her attitude and facial expressions. The clip has already been viewed more than 1.6 million times and gained more than 199,000 likes on TikTok since it was shared.
"She's been great ever since then and she's starting to come around and get used to the baby more," Leila's owner told Newsweek. "Sometimes I can see that she's still a little jealous when I'm holding the baby, and she just looks at me with these puppy dog eyes."
It's not uncommon for dogs to get jealous of another pet, a baby, or a new person in their home who they see as competition. According to PetMD, the most prominent signs of canine jealousy are aggression, going to the bathroom indoors, being clingy, displaying pushy behavior, trying to scare off strangers, or leaving the room.
Fortunately for owners, it is possible to reduce a dog's jealousy and make them feel more secure in their home. The best ways of doing this include giving the pet a safe space that they can call their own, feeding them separately to avoid conflict, give them attention whenever fussing the baby or other pets in the household, and give them plenty of praise for good behavior.
Leila is gradually learning that she's "no longer the baby of the house," but her owner told Newsweek that she's still trying to make her feel content by giving her "as much attention" as possible.
TikTok Users React
Users on the social media platform can't get enough of Leila's unhappiness about her new sibling, and the viral video has already gained over 300 comments at the time of writing.
"she always has the funniest faces," one TikTok user wrote.
Another responded: "GIVE HER A HUG."
While a third TikTok user joked: "My dog still hasn't forgiven me for having kids & my oldest will be six in June."
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.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Alyce Collins is a Newsweek Life and Trends reporter based in Birmingham, U.K. with a focus on trending topics that ... Read more
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