Dog Pushed in Stroller As He's Too 'Fat' To Walk Has Internet in Stitches

This overweight dog isn't a fan of going on long walks to shed the excess pounds, preferring instead to put his paws up and ride in a stroller.

A TikTok shared by the account @alejandramamaof3 on January 8 has already amassed more than 11 million views.

The clip shows the stroller being pushed along a long road that winds off in the distance. The end was clearly too far for the lazy pooch, who couldn't bear to continue walking any longer.

As the camera pans around to show us who is inside the two-seater stroller, we see a young toddler in one of the berths, with the family dog comfortably strapped into the other.

The caption layered over the video reads: "Our old dog is fat and can't take very long walks anymore or his legs give out."

Obesity is more common in older dogs, due to their lack of energy and unwillingness to exercise.

According to VCA Animal Hospitals, "being even moderately overweight can reduce a dog's life expectancy by nearly two years compared to their leaner counterparts."

"Fat tissue is biologically active. It secretes inflammatory hormones and creates oxidative stress on the body's tissue, both of which contribute to many diseases."

If a pet does become overweight there are options out there for owners. Ways to help your pup drop the pounds include portion control, regular weigh-ins and turning exercise from a dull chore into a fun daily activity.

Kelly Diehl, a veterinarian for the Morris Animal Foundation with over 25 years of experience, has discussed the importance of catching animal obesity at an early stage to prevent it from developing into a serious problem.

Diehl told Newsweek: "The key to avoiding obesity in dogs is to catch weight loss early—in other words, don't let your dog put on extra pounds in the first place.

"Another secret to avoiding obesity in your dog is for owners to learn how to use a body condition score. It's easy and a great way for owners to take charge of monitoring their dog's weight. Just like you might step on the scale every morning, using a body condition scoring system to routinely assess your dog can catch problems early.

"Also, get in the habit of walking your dog daily. Not only will your dog benefit from the exercise, but there is mounting evidence that it helps keep people healthy too!"

Although the professionals would suggest that the dog should get up and walk to improve his weight and mobility, the dog himself looks very pleased with his ride. Buckled safely into the stroller seat, the dog looks gleeful as he avoids any strenuous exercise.

The TikTok user @alejandramamaof3 was laughing uncontrollably while she filmed the video of her dog, and when she posted the video on social media it was captioned with: "This will forever make me laugh now!"

Viewers on TikTok have lauded the dog for his ingenious method of getting out of walking the rest of the way. One user commented on the video: "He's like, well I don't see why the tiny human should be the only one sitting in comfort on walks", while another person added: "Aww he's so happy to be moving at speed again."

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.