The parents of two toddlers have shown the importance of not forgetting their first-born kids: the dogs.
Corinne and Corey are the proud parents of 3-year-old Freddie and daughter Ellie, 2, as well as their dogs Wrigley and Lulu, who Corinne told Newsweek are "so great with the kids and our kids absolutely adore them too."
While family life can be busy, the dogs remain a huge part of it. "We love to take our dogs everywhere with us and include them in all of our adventures," Corinne, from Ontario, Canada, said.
And they also take care to spend one-on-one time with the pups, too, as a recent video to Corinne's TikTok account, @wrigleyandlulu, showed.
In a beautifully chaotic clip, Corinne films Corey jumping around the sitting room with the dogs, Lulu barking with excitement as he wrestles with Wrigley.
She wrote across the video: "Our kids slept at their grandparents' house, so we had a rowdy party in the living room with our first kids who are 7 & 11," and added in a caption: "Still making memories with these two."
Corinne told Newsweek the couple had just got home from a Christmas party at 11 p.m., and "Lulu was full of spuk so we had a rowdy time in the living room which I happened to catch on video."
"Spending one on one time with the pups is still a priority amongst the busy life we live and it helps keep our bond strong," she said. "I often take them for solo hikes, training outings, and Wrigley has even been in a few TV commercials which is a fun thing for her and I to do together."
TikTok users adored the clip, which has been viewed almost 3 million times and boasts over 760,000 likes, as animal lovers praised the parents for making time for their dogs.
"And suddenly it's the good ol days again...thank you for remembering them," one wrote, as one shared emotional emojis alongside the words: "Dog parent who never forgot their first babies."
And one shared their own story, writing: "Our kids spent the night with the grandparents so we took our dogs to look at Christmas lights!"
Corinne, who also shares life with the dogs to Instagram under the same username, said she is delighted they are "getting to remind people to still include their pups."
"They are so special to us and I hope the video helps couples know that dogs still matter, even after you have kiddos!"
In Corinne and Corey's case, they underwent training with their dogs before becoming parents, to help the "transition of adding children to our family."
There are many things expectant parents can do before bringing their baby home to a house with dogs. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) recommends getting dogs used to the new sounds, smells, and interruptions that come with a newborn in the months before, and associating these things with treats and rewards.
Parents should also resist lavishing extra attention on the dog before the baby arrives, as it could make them think they've done something wrong when the attention lessens as the baby enters the home.
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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