A video of a puppy trying his hardest to become a friendly neighbor has left viewers laughing after she took things a little too far and became a nosy neighbor.
The 4-month-old chocolate staffrador—a mix between a Staffordshire bull terrier and a Labrador—was caught digging next to a fence one day while her family was carving pumpkins. They immediately stopped Pumpkin from attempting "the great escape" and going into a neighbor's yard, placing bricks in front of the fence to prevent it from happening again. However, that didn't last long, and she was back to digging.
Luckily, the neighbor's dog didn't consider her digging to be nosy. In fact, the dog embraced it and started to help from the other side. They couldn't wait to meet each other.
The dogs are seen digging at the speed of light in a November 2 TikTok video posted to the account @pumpkinthestaffra. Pumpkin then wiggled under the fence to check whether they had dug deep enough. It was close, but not quite there.
She managed to pop her head out on the other side, which of course distracted the dogs. The sight of each other got them excited, and they started playing. But then it was back to the mission—full access to both yards.
TikTok users became instantly intrigued by the dog's escape attempt, and the clip has brought in over 1.2 million views and 61,300 likes as of Wednesday.
"The sheer determination is brilliant, they need a doggy door," suggested one viewer.
Another added: "Teamwork makes the dream work."
A third person wrote: "By tomorrow they'll be playing together n celebrating this great escape."
And that's exactly what happened. A follow-up video showed that their teamwork finally paid off after they managed to slip under the fence. The two besties were together at last. The neighbor didn't seem to mind either. Pumpkin's owner wrote in the comments section that the neighbor found the dogs' determination and desire to be together hilarious.
Newsweek reached out to @pumpkinthestaffra via TikTok for additional information.
Why Do Dogs Dig?
The American Kennel Club (AKC) says that digging is as much a part of a dog's instinctive behavior as barking or sniffing and that it comes from their wolf ancestors. But what benefit do they get from digging?
The most basic explanation for digging behavior is that a dog is seeking prey, such as moles or mice, the AKC says. Dogs might also want to create a shallow bed in the earth for a cool spot to rest during a hot day. Pregnant dogs might dig because of their denning instinct.
Like Pumpkin, many dogs might dig to get out of their yard. The AKC says dogs could dig to search for more exciting locations or a friend. However, owners should be aware that escaping could also mean they are anxious in their yard, scared to be alone or bored.
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.
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