Dog's Reaction to Spare Human Arriving Home 'Hurts More Than a Break Up'

Dogs are often the apple of their owner's eye, but the feeling isn't always mutual—unless you're their favorite, of course.

Unfortunately for TikTok user @401express, she isn't the chosen one, and she's given the internet a hilarious glimpse into life as the "spare human" in her household.

In a video that has racked up over 337,000 views, the woman captures the moment she returns home to her Maltese-Shih Tzu mix eagerly waiting at the door. However, the excitement quickly fades as the dog realizes who it is and runs off, clearly unimpressed.

The video is accompanied by a screenshot of a comment that perfectly sums up the situation: "This hurts more than a breakup."

Breakups and heartbreaks are a hard part of life for almost four out of five Americans, according to a YouGov survey. But nobody expects to experience it while living with their pet.

One user commented, "This would actually make me cry," and another wrote, "This would break my heart." A third user asked, "What did you do to him?" to which the poster replied: "Fed him steak."

Indeed, the owner's page is filled with videos showing her sharing meals with the dog and dishing up his own meals consisting of beef with quail eggs.

So far, the December 10 video has garnered 25,500 likes and many more comments—some users have attempted to make light of the situation.

"He was just checking if there was an intruder. Not to see if you were home...ouch," one user joked.

A stock image of a disappointed shih tzu. A video of a similar dog has recently broken hearts on TikTok. Yaraslava Melchanka/iStock/Getty Images Plus

Newsweek previously spoke to U.K.-based Kennel Club-accredited dog trainer Joe Nutkins about the secret ways to improve your relationship with your dog—and it's easier than you might think.

She said, "The bond works both ways, so when our dog bonds with us, we feel joy for our dog being happy, as well as the companionship our dogs provide us."

"Without this process, we can feel like our pet isn't really part of the family, and it can take us longer to understand their needs."

Nutkins, a co-director at U.K.-based Dog Training for Essex and Suffolk, shared the following tips:

1. Have some alone time.
2. Try a new activity together, like playing soccer.
3. Go for a walk in a nice and quiet location.

Last but not least, Nutkins advises owners to be patient. She encourages owners to "inject positivity into everything" to make the most out of their time with their pet.

Newsweek reached out to @401express for comment via TikTok. We 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 life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.