Retriever Baffled by Doggy Door Delights Viewers: 'Cute but Confused'

A newly installed doggy door has stumped one pup in a hilarious viral video that has resurfaced this week.

Originally shared in 2021, the video has since been viewed more than 4 million times.

Retriever dogs Lily, 3, Honey 2, and Theo 1, all live together in Los Angeles, California. Their owners share their daily antics online, where they have thousands of followers across TikTok and Instagram under the handle theretrievertrio.

In the video, dogs Theo and Honey make their way through the doggy door, but for the third pup it all proves a little bit too much.

Lily walks up to the door and stands, confused, unable to figure out how to get through the gap. Before long, Lily the dog walks away and gives up completely.

Theretrievertrio told Newsweek: "We built a dog run on the side of our house for our dogs and installed the doggy door so that they could have direct access to the dog run and our backyard.

"It took Lily two or three days to build up the courage to poke her head through to see what all the fuss was about."

In stitches at the video, TikTok users headed to the comments to share their thoughts.

"Lily is going places, just not outside," said one commenter. While another said: "It took our dogs five days to figure out the dog door. Five. Days."

Others suggested that the doggy door in the wall bore resemblance to Platform 9 and ¾ from the Harry Potter series: "She's like Harry the first time he has to board the Hogwarts Express," said one TikToker, while another joked that the dogs were "two wizards and a muggle."

When it comes to installing a dog door, the American Kennel Club (AKC) said: "For most dogs, the idea of a dog door with its moving flap will be foreign and something they need to learn how to use. You should never push your dog to use the door or scold and punish your dog for not using it."

Instead, the AKC said that you should work with your dog at their pace to help them make positive associations with the new door. After ensuring you have installed the correct size for your pup, there are a few steps you can take to help your canine friend adjust.

Try showing your dog the door and pairing the sight of the new door with treats and praise. With your hand, move the flap back and forward while praising your dog. Then you can move on to encourage your dog to explore the new door, praising and rewarding any engagement with the flap including sniffing or pawing at it.

The first time your dog uses the door, it can be helpful to hold the flap open to show them how to go through, before slowly encouraging them to use the flap.

It can also help to put high-value rewards on the other side of the door, including toys, treats and even yourself.

"Lily is my spirit animal," joked another TikTok user in the comments of the viral video. Another viewer said: "Not everyone can be smart and pretty."

"Omg the confusion," said another comment while another wrote: "Lily is so cute but confused."

"Our dogs have huge personalities and are our source of daily entertainment," said the dogs' owners. "So why not share it and make other people smile."