Having good neighbors is never a guarantee, but one pair have taken their relationship to the next level by building something unusual in their yards.
In a video posted by @fritz_the_emotional_dog, the neighbors can be seen after building a dog door between their fence so that Fritz the German shepherd and his best friend, a golden retriever, can play whenever they want.
The dogs can be seen excitedly sprinting into each other’s yards while their owners laugh at their antics.
“When you and your neighbor’s dog are BFFs you build them their very own door,” reads the caption.
“You have no idea! They are incredible people! We love them as if they are family…They are BFFS. They’ve played together since we’ve gotten them. We swap yard play dates,” Fritz’s owner added in the comments.
Why some dogs get on like a house on fire and others want to hurt each other may be a mystery to human beings, but the truth remains that some dogs do seem to form strong bonds.
One theory why dogs are able to form these bonds is that for some species, like dogs, forging connections and living in packs was essential for survival.
“It is not an uncommon finding to see pups extend dog companionship to preferred playmates and also have other dog friends hang out with, very similar to human behavior,” according to PetMD. “Based on studies of animals living in natural conditions, we know that social animals can develop bonds with other pack or herd members other than their mates.”
Debora Rodrigues/Getty Images
Fritz’s TikTok handle suggests he’s “emotional,” and therefore may benefit even more than most dogs by having easy access to his best friend.
“The presence of BFFs, or preferred associates, can reduce stress and can provide some degree of comfort and safety to an animal living in a group,” PetMD adds. “Animals with preferred associates tend to exhibit less aggressive behavior towards their companion. They do tend to be more tolerant of their companion’s presence compared to other animals in the group or unfamiliar animals.”
TikTok users loved the video.
“You won the good neighbors lottery,” commented one user.
“I have to show this to my neighbor we’ve always wanted to do something because I have a golden and they have two and we want them to be able to play together,” wrote another.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.