A video of a golden retriever appearing confused by the voice of his owner heard through a home security camera has gone viral on TikTok.
The clip was posted on August 4 by Rachel Bowers (known as @rachmobow on TikTok) and had 1.3 million views at the time of writing.
The video appears to show footage from a Ring security camera. As a voice is later heard in the background, the dog is seen with his face close to the camera, tilting his head and staring with a seemingly confused look. A message overlaid on the clip reads: “We’ve never spoken to him through the camera.”
A caption shared with the post says: “Idc [I don’t care] if you think this is as cute as I do. I just love my handsome boy!!”
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The dog’s fixation on the camera in the viral video makes sense because our canine friends are able to recognize their owners using vocal cues.
A February 2022 study in Animal Cognition found that “dogs can identify their owner based on vocal cues of identity.”
The study’s findings showed that “dogs use some but probably not all acoustic cues that humans use to identify familiar speakers.”
The study noted: “Although dogs can detect fine changes in speech, their perceptual system may not be fully attuned to identity-diagnostic cues in the human voice.”
The footage in the viral TikTok clip begins with a view of what appears to be a living room, with couches and the television on.
As a voice in the clip says what appears to sound like “Hawk,” the dog approaches the camera, putting its nose up against the lens.
As the dog walks out of the frame of the camera into another part of the room, giggling is heard in the background as another voice says: “Bubba…you better stay out of there.”
As the other voice says “Hawk,” the dog reappears and the voice says: “Hey buddy.”
The dog’s snout is seen right up against the lens again as more laughter is heard in the backdrop.
As the voice continues to say “Hey bubba,” the pup is seen tilted his head to one side while staring at the camera.
The dog then walks away before turning back to look back at the camera as a voice says: “Where you at, where you going?”
After remaining frozen in position for a bit, the canine is seen walking away from the camera towards the opposite end of the room, as the voice says “come here” before the video ends.
TikTokers were amused by the dog’s reaction in the viral post.
User yeseniamolina444 wrote: “He’s like I’m hearing voices in my head.”
User @kaitlynessary said: “this is the cutest thing ever! the head tilt and everything.”
Lydia Warner noted: “The head tilt, he’s so confused but so intrigued.”
Brittany Jade wrote: “Omg [oh my god] this is the best, what a good boy!!” and user8058491605600 said: “omg so stinking adorable.”
Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified.
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