A cocker spaniel has been dubbed the "Hannibal Lecter of the dog world" after a video of him trying to wear a plush stuffed bear was viewed over 1.2 million times.
In the clip posted by owner @gregorhuntercoleman three days ago, the dog is busy tearing apart the stuffed bear—with stuffing surrounding him. But it is his next step that has left people in stitches; he climbs into the outer material as if trying to become the newly skinned bear.
@gregorhuntercoleman Never a dull moment with this guy #dogsoftiktok
♬ Baby Dog Doggie - Venom
The cocker spaniel is completely engrossed in the unconventional activity, surrounded by a sea of fluffy stuffing as it meticulously disassembles the innocent teddy bear. The owner humorously captioned the video on TikTok and said, "Never a dull moment with this guy," before adding "My dog is broken," in a text overlay.
If you're a dog owner, you might be familiar with the destruction of toys—something many pups engage in at all ages. The main reasons your pet might decide to tear apart the toy you just lovingly provided them with is all about instinct. Their natural prey drive makes them want to destroy toys, and boredom or need for mental stimulation can play a role, too.
Many dogs see their toys as prey; it's part of what makes them so much fun. But this gives them the need to destroy them, too, especially breeds with a high prey drive such as terriers, greyhounds, beagles, and retrievers. While destroying toys is generally harmless—forgetting the financial cost of replacing them, of course—it is important to supervise your pet if they are destroying a toy because of potential choking hazards.
In hundreds of comments, people shared their reactions to the dog's hilarious behavior.
User kellfax wrote, "IT'S A PUPPET!!!" while danyhuygen1 posted: "Your dog is very good in camouflage."
"They're just trying on a new coat," commented Michael, and viewer RiahEvers added: "He just wants to cosplay as a teddy bear."
Others couldn't stop laughing, as Erin praised the pup and wrote: "What a wee legend," Kathryn posted that it was both "terrifying and hilarious."
The cocker spaniel's antics resonated with pet owners as they continued to share and like the video, quickly helping him gain viral attention.
Newsweek reached out to @gregorhuntercoleman via TikTok for comment.
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.
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Alice Gibbs is a Newsweek Senior Internet Trends & Culture Reporter based in the U.K. For the last two years ... Read more
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