A dog who had his “window privileges” revoked after barking at the mail carrier has gained millions of fans after a video of him emotionally sitting at the closed blind went viral.
With more than 1.6 million views, the clip was posted on TikTok by user @alyssa.lenore. In the video, the four-legged star named Wade is seen sitting forlornly by the window with the blind closed, unable to see outside.
It isn’t unusual for dogs to take exception to their local mail carrier. Dogs may exhibit such behavior due to perceiving them as intruders in their territory, prompting a fear response and a natural instinct to protect their homes. While others may also have had negative past experiences, contributing to their distrust.
Psychology Today shed light on the psychological mechanisms at play, explaining that when a dog acts defensively and the perceived threat—the mail carrier—leaves, the dog feels rewarded for successfully defending its territory.
The consistent return of the mail carrier can lead to an escalation of aggressive behavior in an attempt to reinforce the dog’s response.
For those looking to help their dog feel more relaxed around them, experts recommend a simple solution—positive reinforcement.
By keeping a short leash and treats near the door, owners can praise the dog for alerting and redirect the behavior by asking the dog to sit and providing a treat. This approach aims to associate positive experiences with the presence of the mail carrier, ultimately reducing antagonistic behavior.
Kateryna Buchynska/Getty Images
The viral video of Wade sparked a wave of comments from viewers who were adamant that his window privileges should be restored immediately.
“Your honor he’s innocent,” said amee. While Xtina wrote: “You give that window back right now! How dare you!”
“He was just announcing the paper Santa arriving with gifts in the mailbox,” said another viewer.
After many calls for Wade to be able to see out of the window again, @alyssa.lenore shared a follow-up video to put minds at ease.
In the video, the text overlay said: “All is right again in Wade’s world,” as he sat on the windowsill with the open blind.
The owner clarified though that the blind is still closed when the mail carrier comes by.
Newsweek reached out to @alyssa.lenore via email and TikTok for comment.
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.