The bond between a dog and its owner is truly special, which is why they are often called ‘man’s best friend.’ However, some men are against the idea of a pet: until they own one.
A dad recently went viral on TikTok (@daisity) after his daughter shared the heartwarming moment he was greeted by their toy poodle Toffy. During the clip that has more than 3.4 million views, Toffy can be seen staring through the glass window, waiting for the man’s return. Then, his tail starts to wag as he appears excitedly, and his excitement is reciprocated by the man, who walks over with a treat for his furry friend.
The text layered over the video reads: “My father and the dog he never wanted.” But, now, the woman says that the dad “loves him more” than her in the caption.
Racking up more than 508,200 likes, the video resonates with many pet owners who are familiar with a family member falling in love with an animal they didn’t necessarily want.
One user wrote, “My dad would trade me for our family dog (which he didn’t want in the first place),” and another posted: “Same with my cat. He was strictly against it. And now I see him more in my room then the last 22 years of my life.”
“My dad never wanted dog, the dog likes my dad more than us,” commented a third user.
It seems the connection isn’t just between a dog and cat, but other pets too.
A fourth user wrote: “I got a hamster what my dad didn’t like, before that moment I never saw him cry but when my hamster died he cried bc [because] every evening he always played with him.”
Men’s Stronger Bonds With Pets Than Humans
A poodle rests its head on a man. A similar dog’s connection with his owner’s dad has gone viral on TikTok.
Neil Chadd/iStock / Getty Images Plus
Research by U.S. psychologist Dr. Chris Blazina, shared in a 2019 article by news outlet Metro.co.uk, showed that many men perceive their relationship with their dog as more secure than their closest human relationships. Blazina reviewed multiple studies to explore how bonding with pets can positively impact men’s lives.
In a nationwide U.S. study, men were asked to compare the security of their bonds with their closest human and animal companions. In 62 percent of cases, the attachment to an animal companion was described as ‘almost always’ secure.
In contrast, only 10 percent of men characterized their bond with their closest human companion in the same way, with ‘sometimes’ being the most common description. This suggests that men often form stronger emotional connections with their pets than with the people in their lives.
Newsweek reached out to @daisity for comment via email. We could not verify the details of the case.
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