A video of a golden retriever appearing to be in her element among sheep on a farm has gone viral on TikTok.
The video, posted by @lyss.teeuwissen, has received 9.3 million views since it was shared three days ago. The caption reads: "In her happy place #sheepoftiktok #farmlife #farmtok #farmtokk #goldenretriever #love."
The footage shows the golden retriever surrounded by a group of sheep in what appears to be a farm stall. One sheep is seen nibbling on the dog's neck and touching her face with its nose, while another is pulling at her dog collar.
The pup's reaction comes as no surprise as golden retrievers are known for their friendly and "outgoing, trustworthy" nature, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC).
"They take a joyous and playful approach to life and maintain this puppyish behavior into adulthood," the AKC says.
The pup may have also been at home with the sheep because of their potentially calming effect, according to an August 2004 study in Nature. The study found that "exposing isolated sheep to photos of other sheep lowers their stress levels."
"Researchers suggest the practice could be used to soothe solitary and sick animals and hope the work will help elucidate the brain mechanisms behind the ability to link faces with emotion," the study said.
Research has also shown that some of our canine companions can form stronger relationships with animals than with their owners.
A March 2019 study in Scientific Reports found that "dogs can form relationships of comparable qualities with both humans and other dogs, and that these relationships vary along multiple components across different partners."
The study showed that "some dogs form stronger affiliative bonds with conspecifics [members of the same species] than with their owner."
'Living the Good Life'
Users on TikTok were delighted by the scene in the clip. User ellab565 said the dog is "blending in," while xoxMiss Christine wrote: "Aww just living the good life."
User pyce said the pup "likes the attention." Thebigbigbangg noted that she is "having the time of [her] life."
Rio noted: "It's a love fest!!"
User jaurkael said the pup must be saying, "I'm not a dog I identify as a sheep."
Maame Sesiwaa wrote: "Well that's 'A sheep in a dog's clothing' I think."
Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified.
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
Soo Kim is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. She covers various lifestyle stories, specializing in travel and health.
Soo ... Read more
