A video of a golden retriever showcasing a heart-wrenching musical number after being left home alone has captivated users on TikTok.
The viral video, shared on TikTok by @teddyware.thegolden, racked up over 311,000 views since it was posted on August 31. The footage, filmed via a pet camera, shows the lonely pup howling to the tune “All By Myself” while its owners were away.
The video begins with a note overlaid on the clip that reads: “Mom and dad went bye bye and didn’t take me…so I sing my sorrows away.” As the dog howls, the classic ballad by Eric Carmen plays in the background.
The dog’s apparent sadness over being separated from its human parents is not surprising because the unique relationship between adult dogs and their owners “bears a remarkable resemblance to an infant attachment bond,” noted a May 2013 study published in the journal PLOS One. “Dogs are dependent on human care and their behavior seems specifically geared to engage their owners’ care-giving system,” according to the study.
In a May 2023 PetMD article, veterinarian Tiffany Tupler noted that dogs howl for different reasons, including to express a range of emotions, from excitement to anxiety and upset. In some cases, howling can be a learned behavior that dogs use to attract attention or signal distress.
Dogs may use various sounds, such as howling, barking and whining, to express their needs. For example, howling can be a way for dogs to express loneliness or alert others of changes in their environment.
Mary Burch, a certified applied animal behaviorist and the American Kennel Club’s family dog director, told Newsweek in March 2022 that howling is “a form of communication for dogs that is hard-wired.”
A spokesperson for VCA Animal Hospitals agreed, telling Newsweek in March 2022: “Like many canine behaviors, howling has ancestral roots. In the wild, safety-conscious wolves in the woods bellowed to announce their location to other members of their pack family.”
‘Poor Baby’
TikTok users quickly expressed their sympathy for the forlorn pup. Stacey S commented “Awww he’s calling you home!!!” while Jada added “Y’all better go back and get that baby!” Another user, ritzs81, wrote “Poor baby. Look at that sweet face,” capturing the sentiment of many viewers who were touched by the dog’s sorrowful performance.
The clip struck an emotional chord with several viewers. Monique remarked, “My heart ACHES just watching this,” while #Awake chimed in with a suggestion: “Oh, he needs a doggy friend!!!”
Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified.
A stock image of a golden retriever appearing sad, with its head on the floor. A video of a golden retriever singing its “sorrows away” after being left home alone has gone viral on TikTok.
iStock / Getty Images Plus
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