Dogs are caring creatures and often in tune with their owner’s emotions, but one canine recently took empathy to the next level by sacrificing her own bed.
In a viral TikTok video shared by her owner, Jennie (@whatjenniedid), Luna can be seen peacefully sleeping on the floor right next to her bed. The white dog’s owner says from behind the camera, “What I love about Luna is that she has given her dog bed to her toy.”
The camera then zooms in, giving the more than 203,000 viewers a closer look at the teddy bear resting on the bed, with Luna’s paw beside it.
The owner continues, “That’s the kind of daughter I am raising, and I’m pretty proud.”
Luna’s selfless act has received plenty of praise, garnering 47,600 likes and over 300 comments since the video was posted on October 2.
What makes the video even sweeter is that Luna is spoiled for choice when it comes to beds. Her owner told one user, “She has many beds, mine included! She even has a twin-size daybed that’s all hers in the living room. Sometimes she just needs to feel like she’s providing for her kin.”
Some users have suggested that we could learn a thing or two from the considerate canine.
“The toy is a guest, and we don’t make guests sleep on the floor,” said one user. Another wrote, “Luna is showing us what love looks like.”
A 2017 study conducted by Rachel Dale and colleagues at Austria’s Messerli Research Institute confirmed that dogs display prosocial behavior and prefer familiar partners when sharing food rewards.
However, increased task complexity influences their willingness to deliver rewards, the method used affects the outcome, and social proximity plays a larger role than previously thought, the study said.
How to Teach a Dog to Share
Newsweek reached out to Olivia Graham, the head of U.S. operations at U.S.-based pet rehoming website Lancaster Puppies, to find out how owners can teach their furry friends how to be generous.
“Sharing can be taught to dogs, to enable them to play nice with other people and dogs they’re not very familiar with,” she said. “The key thing is positive reinforcement.
“When your dog encounters another dog they’re not familiar with, tension can arise when the unfamiliar dog wants to share your pet’s toys or even a stick it’s found. If your dog does share and plays nice, it’s crucial to reward it with treats, praise and attention to reinforce that behavior for the future,” Graham told Newsweek.
A stock image shows a dog sleeping on the floor. A similar-looking white dog recently went viral on TikTok for letting her toy sleep on her bed.
Tara Krauss/iStock / Getty Images Plus
If your dog is having trouble sharing, use positive reinforcement to encourage it to initiate sharing.
“One way is to teach your pet ‘trading,'” Graham said. “Trade a toy the dog is playing with for a treat. This shows your dog that there can be positive outcomes to letting go of the toy and giving it to someone else…. Start with items that are less valuable to your dog and slowly graduate to its favorite toys.”
She continued: “If you’re unsure about how your dog will react to attempts by other dogs to share its toys, try approaching the situation in a controlled environment. If you have another dog who is a little more mature, then use them to model good behavior to your less well-behaved dog. If not, a similar effect can be achieved through a playdate with a well-behaved dog that belongs to a friend or family member.”
Newsweek reached out via TikTok to @whatjenniedid for comment and could not verify the details of the case.
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