Internet users have lauded a golden retriever who refuses to walk beyond the parameters of his driveway and insists on being carried instead.
Dog owner Alicia Henderson, 47, shared a video on TikTok (@ourgoldenboyfinn) showing the moment her pup, named Finn, had to be picked up and carried to the end of the driveway.
From a young age, Finn was trained not to cross "the invisible fence" at the end of the drive, meaning any time he goes beyond it, he demands to carried over the border.
It was a touching moment for Henderson, of New Jersey, to see her son carry the 90-pound golden retriever in his arms so lovingly. She told Newsweek that seeing Finn put all his trust in his human sibling showed her "the love between a boy and his dog."
The adorable clip showing the only way Finn will cross the invisible fence has melted hearts online, leading to more than 1.3 million views and 129,200 likes on TikTok at the time of writing.
"It's not that he doesn't like the invisible fence, it's just that he was trained not to cross it," Henderson said. "Since you ultimately need to allow your pet to leave your yard, you have to come up with a way that lets them know where they are allowed to cross the line. For Finn, early on we just started picking him up and it became the routine.
She continued: "Every time we want to go for a walk down, we have to carry him over the line. As we get close to the end of the driveway, he jumps up. He's no lightweight, but at least he helps with the jump up."
An invisible fence is a cable that is installed around a specific perimeter, which uses a radio signal to pair with a specialist dog's collar. When the dog gets too close to the fence, there's a warning sound to prevent them from going any further. If the dog were then to cross the fence, they'd feel a static shock via the collar.
When Henderson first installed the invisible fence, she placed white flags along it to provide Finn with visual cues. The flags were gradually removed over time, and now Finn hardly ever wears the collar because he's so well-trained. However, that doesn't stop him from wanting to be carried over the border every day.
As soon as he's over the threshold, Finn is happy to walk as normal. Henderson adds that's he's perfectly fine walking back into the yard too—it's just walking out that's the problem.
"It's part of our daily routine, but when I was watching from the house and caught it on camera, it struck me how special it was. Seeing Finn's trust in his brother and my son's returned devotion brought me joy and melted my heart," Henderson told Newsweek.
"The reaction to the video has been amazing. We've been sent so many kind messages from all around the world, and the majority have commented about the bond between Finn and my son. Many have said they were crying watching the video and loved the jump for joy at the end," she added.
There were some negative comments regarding the use of an invisible fence, which some deem as harmful. However, Henderson assures people that Finn is "loved, adored, and spoiled" by his family.
The fence isn't used in a punitive measure, but rather, it allows Finn to roam the yard freely, and gives his owners the peace of mind to know he won't wander into the street.
With more than 470 comments on the viral TikTok video so far, many social media users praised the bond between Finn and his brother who carried him over the line.
One comment reads: "We don't deserve dogs."
Another TikTok user wrote: "That's love. He totally trusts you to keep him safe."
While another person joked: "His jumpity [sic] jump at the end."
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