Owners may agree that there is never a dull day when a pup is in the house, but that doesn’t mean they always want constant affection, as demonstrated by one rescue dog.
In a video posted to @becca_cody_ollie, an account dedicated to Cody the Chihuahua, he can be seen peacefully sleeping. Then, his owner’s hand appears as she starts to stroke the back of his neck, waking him up as he uses his paw to slowly push her hand away while maintaining eye contact.
The text layered over the clip, written from the dog’s point of view, reads: “When mom thinks that just because she rescued you from the puppy mill, it means she can pet you whenever she wants.”
So far, the hilarious video, shared on October 7, has gathered over 5.8 million views and more than 1.5 million likes. Newsweek reached out to @becca_cody_ollie for comment via email. We could not verify the details of the case.
The Chihuahua’s owner told one user: “He will always tell me when I go too far.”
“I’ve never seen a dog decline pets in such a polite and classy fashion,” wrote another user, and a third posted: “That was PERSONAL.”
A fourth commented, “That honestly would’ve hurt my feelings,” while one reply read: “He said, ‘that’s enough.’ I wonder if animals get overstimulated.”
The American Kennel Club (AKC) website says how dogs experience a wide range of emotions that influence their behavior. Positive emotions may cause excitement or distraction, while negative emotions such as fear or anxiety can be dangerous and distressing for the dog.
A stock image of a grumpy Chihuahua on the couch. A dog of the same breed recently stopped his owner from petting him in a hilarious clip.
Liudmila Chernetska/iStock/Getty Images Plus
However, it is important to remember that dogs do not feel emotions the same way humans do. Newsweek previously spoke to Evan MacLean, the founder and director of the Arizona Canine Cognition Center (ACCC) at the University of Arizona, who has studied how dogs’ minds are similar to humans and how they differ.
MacLean said: “Hugging—ventral-ventral contact—is a very natural way for us to express affection as primates.
“But it’s not natural for dogs and can make them feel uncomfortable, potentially as if they are being captured or restrained. We can learn about better ways to express our affection by observing how dogs interact with each other. They regularly cuddle and express physical affection, just in different ways.
“Lying together side by side, leaning our heads against one another, or resting while maintaining some passive physical contact are good ways to go.”
MacLean added that spending time together is one of the simplest and most effective ways to nurture a connection with a dog.
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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