A rescue dog who had no idea what toys were when first taken in has broken hearts on social media, with her new owner adding that the pet still struggles to understand the purpose of games like fetch.
In a post shared on TikTok in April, under the username noatherescuedoodle, the poster explains that when they first got Noa, it was pretty clear that she didn't know what a toy was. Thankfully, she soon started opening up to the idea of them.
"After a while, I would come home and she would have stockpiles," the post reads, "she hates being watched so would never play with them around me."
Toys are very important for dogs. They provide mental stimulation and keep them entertained when you're not around. They help dogs learn and develop new skills and can even make them calmer. They're also a great way to prevent problem behaviors such as excessive barking and chewing.
"Eventually, she got more comfortable and started carrying them around. Her favorite toy is her Halloween lambchop," the post continued.
Noa's owner also explained that while the doodle has learned what toys are and has come to love them, she still hasn't grasped what fetch is.
"Usually she will do what her sister does and her sister LOVES fetch, but she's still a little confused on the concept," the caption says.
Each year 6.3 million pets enter U.S. shelters, which is an average of 17,260 a day, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The number of dogs and cats taken in by pet shelters hit 46,807 during January 2023, an increase of 1,744 compared with January 2022, the 24Pet 'Shelter Watch Report' found.
Around 920,000 surrendered animals are euthanized every year. Shelters are striving to minimize euthanasia rates by promoting adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs, and behavior rehabilitation.
@noatherescuedoodle Usually she will do what her sister does and her sister LOVES fetch, but shes still a little confused on the concept 😅 #dog #dogsoftiktok #rescuedog #straydog #aussiedoodle #cutedogs #playingfetch #dogtoys #learningtodog #sisters #fyp
♬ Riptide - Vance Joy
The video quickly went viral on social media, getting viewers from across TikTok. It has so far received over 655,600 views and 92,800 likes on the platform.
One user, Alexa, commented: "Her feeling like she has to sneak inside breaks my heart, thank you for saving this beautiful soul." And Katie Hollingsworth said: "The face of "mom why are you throwing my toys on the air" that sweet baby is precious."
Shawllister wrote: "Mine for 2 years never snuggled and now she can't get away from me. it makes me sad she never got snuggles for the first 4 years of her life."
Thisrosehasthorns added: "We've had our rescue for 2 years and she still doesn't understand fetch, she watches our other dog fly after the ball and looks at him like he's crazy."
Newsweek reached out to noatherescuedoodle for comment via email. We could not verify the details of the case.
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
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Maria Azzurra Volpe is a Newsweek Lifestyle Reporter based in London. Her focus is reporting on lifestyle and trends-related stories, ... Read more
