A picture of a golden retriever named Milo’s daily prayer routine has touched hearts after gaining viral attention online.
The 6-year-old golden retriever lives in Salisbury, England, and is walked every day by Jennifer, 35, who has known him since he was just a few months old.
But what sets Milo apart isn’t just his friendly demeanor; it’s the small red mark, or bindi, on his forehead.
“The dog I walk is owned by a Hindu family,” Jennifer, who didn’t give a surname, shared in a post by u/ZarieRose on Reddit‘s r/aww subreddit. “Every day the lady does her morning prayers with him. When I pick him up for his walk he always has a red spot-on his head.”
That red spot, traditionally called a bindi or tilak, is often applied as part of Hindu religious practice. For Milo, it is a sign of being lovingly included in the family’s daily spiritual rituals.
“I just thought it was sweet and a nice thing to share,” Jennifer told Newsweek. “I was so shocked by how many people liked it. It was so heartwarming to see, and the majority of comments were so lovely.” With more than 155,000 upvotes on TikTok, Milo’s inclusion in his owner’s daily prayers delighted internet users.
A picture of Milo with the mark on his head, indicating his involvement in his family’s daily prayers.
ZarieRose/Reddit
In the Hindu religion, daily prayers are an important spiritual practice that involve reciting various mantras and hymns to invoke blessings, wisdom, and peace throughout the day. Prayers are often performed at specific times such as waking up, before meals, and before going to bed, and they serve to connect devotees with divine energies and cultivate inner virtues.
Bindis or tilaks are commonly applied during Hindu prayers. Both women and men may mark their foreheads as an act of devotion and respect, and in Milo’s case, he gets his own mark to connect him to the family’s daily prayers.
On Reddit, people couldn’t get enough of the fact Milo was included in the important moment.
“What a little cutie,” commented butteredhobbit.
User teamcats wrote: “I love that they include him in their prayers. He looks so peaceful and loved.”
Others shared similar stories of including pets in religious practice. User BedHeadRedemption427 said: “I love this lol [laugh out loud]. My 74 year old grannie does communion with my dog. He gets water instead of grape juice lol. He bites the cracker very delicate and even closes his eyes for prayer.”
Reddit user lyulf0 said: “Regardless of belief, this shows the dog is absolutely loved. He is included as if he is family. They want to share their beliefs with their doggo.”
Milo isn’t the only praying pet to gain viral attention. In 2021, one woman gained attention when she taught her puppies to pray before their meals, while, in 2023, a dog delighted internet viewers by joining in with his owner’s prayers.
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.
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