Watch Exact Moment Labrador Suddenly Realizes He's Going to Grandparents

A woman captured the exact moment her dog realized he was going to visit some of his favorite people, and the result is adorable.

Chocolate Labrador Ernie, who lives in London, Ontario, Canada, with his owner Sandra Hessels, 52, has gone viral for his reaction to learning he was going to visit Hessels' parents.

"I got Ernie in the middle of COVID and so when he was a puppy, my parents were among the few people we saw regularly," Hessels told Newsweek, explaining they very much have a grandchild-grandparents relationship. "He loved them right away."

With the pair making regular visits, Ernie now "senses when we're close to their house and his excitement builds," she said. "By the time we pull in their driveway he is just vibrating with excitement."

This joyful reaction was captured in a sweet video, shared to Hessels' TikTok account @erniebuoy on November 5, and which has been viewed close to one million times.

It shows Ernie relaxing in the car, his eyes almost drooping, before he suddenly perks up, his eyes alert, and sits up straight. His body language shows how excited he is, as he licks his lips and starts looking around, more than ready to arrive at their destination.

Ernie the Labrador retriever was almost asleep in his owner's car. That is, until he realized where they were going. TikTok @erniebuoy

Hessels wrote over the video: "POV You suddenly realize you're almost at Grandma and Grandpa's."

"I don't have kids and so I guess my parents have accepted that Ernie is the closest they'll get to a grandchild from me," she told Newsweek.

"My brothers do have kids, there are five human grandchildren. Ernie's photo is displayed right next to the human grandkids. His photo is actually the biggest!"

Labrador Retrievers have long been one of the most popular breeds in the United States. The American Kennel Club notes the breed's affection toward family and young children, and its ability to get along with other dogs, describing the breed as famously friendly.

TikTok users also found the joy in Ernie's video, with one writing: "So cute. I'm a grandpawrent and I approve this message!"

Another wrote that their dog had the same reaction "when she realizes she's going to doggy daycare."

"The minute he heard the indicator he just knew," one wrote. Another asked: "I wonder if supper is ready," to which Hessels responded: "It's always treat time at Grandma and Grandpa's."

Ernie visits Grandpa and Grandma. The dog's owner, Sandra Hessels, said the pooch was very much one of the grandchildren. TikTok @erniebuoy

College professor Hessels said Ernie "loves the attention" he receives at his grandparents' house, where they have a big backyard and play fetch "for hours," while Hessels' mother "is the main treat source."

"We taught him to wave to get a treat. So he waves, she gives him a treat, he waves again, gets another treat. This goes on for a while," Hessels said, adding: "He brings my parents, and all of us, a lot of joy."

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