A social media video that captures what happened when a dog mistook its owner's bandaged fractured finger for a favorite toy has left viewers laughing.
The viral video, which has been viewed more than 1 million times since it was shared to TikTok on January 21, shows the moment the dog saw its owner's plastered-up finger, which looked a lot like the pet's toy chicken drumstick.
"When your mum's fractured finger looks just like your favourite toy," the dog's owner said.
Viewers watched as the dog inspected the owner's finger, eyeing it up and sniffing it. The curious canine rejected repeated offers to play with the toy chicken drumstick instead.
Do Dogs Have Favorite Toys?
Toy obsession in dogs is normal, and it's not uncommon for them to become attached to one or two favorites.
Animal Medical of New City, which is in New York state, says that certain toys can offer dogs an opportunity to play while treating them instinctively like prey. Or the toys let them relax and feel calm.
The veterinary hospital says on its website that particular attachments to toys can be caused by the dog's owner.
"If your Retriever grabs his toy as soon as you walk in the door or as soon as a guest arrives to your home, he has probably been passively trained to do so. The lesson was easy to learn: dog brought toy to human, human played tug of war with dog or threw toy, dog had fun, dog learned to repeat," the vet hospital said.
"Similarly, you may have filled a Kong or other puzzle toy with peanut butter before you left for the day. The dog learned to associate the Kong toy with a tasty treat, or quiet, comforting time alone," Animal Medical of New City said.
What Do the Comments Say?
The viral clip has led to plenty of laughter in the comments section of the post. More than 115,000 users have liked the post, while another 300 have left comments.
"I see no way this could end badly," one user wrote. Another joked: "I want dat one!"
"He wants the new toy," a third TikToker observed.
Another user said: "Bro, I'm nervous that he'll bite the finger."
"Why are you tricking me," another user wrote.
Newsweek reached out to @jonkane3 for more information via TikTok.
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
Melissa Fleur Afshar is a Newsweek Life and Trends Reporter based in London, United Kingdom.
Her current focus is on trending ... Read more
