A dog owner in Long Beach, California, has moved viewers on social media after sharing the story of how a senior dog became best friends with a puppy, making a big wish come true.
In a post shared in August on TikTok under the username Khiatheakitamix, the owner says that it wasn’t always like this and that it took years for the senior dog to learn how to appreciate and warm up to her little sister.
A message overlaid on the clip reads: “I was nervous when my partner and I adopted our mixed Akita puppy Khia because I wasn’t sure how my elder husky mix Juno, who was always my solo dog, would feel.
“Juno was friendly and playful with Khia!…until she realized that Khia was here to stay. Juno had been around other dogs (my family’s dogs) but was not happy about sharing her space and her mama.”
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As a clip of Juno barking at Khia plays, the message text continues: “I felt so much guilt. She seemed upset and depressed. They had their good moments…but it felt mostly…not great.
“Then (3 years later) we had a major breakthrough…Juno started grooming Khia (and has every day ever since). It was like Juno had finally accepted her. And now that Juno’s vision and hearing worsen with age, she’s come [to] love and rely on Khia’s presence. What I hoped for has finally come true: they’re best friends!”
Introducing your existing dog and a new puppy in the right way will help put their relationship on the right path, according to pet animal charity Blue Cross.
You should set their first meeting outdoors, allowing them to sniff and investigate each other, and keep them on a leash to separate them easily if necessary.
It’s a good idea to have a baby gate set up, as it can be used to separate your adult dog and puppy. It’s also important to supervise their time together until they are both comfortable in each other’s company.
The video quickly went viral on social media. It has so far received over 584,000 views and 50,600 likes on the platform.
One user, Lia, commented: “This is the sweet thing ever. You are wonderful for giving them the time they need to adjust to each other and it was obviously soo worth it.”
Destiny said: “Thank you for not giving up on either of them.”
ROYGBIV wrote: “My German shepherd still has not accepted my husky/shiba mix after 2 years. I feel guilty bc the husky loves the GSD.”
Newsweek reached out to Khiatheakitamix for comment via TikTok chat and could not verify the details of the case.
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
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.