Bringing a newborn into the family might ruffle some fur among your pets. It's a big change for them because they're used to undivided attention. One dog recently showed how he truly felt about the adjustment.
Richard the bull terrier is known to sleep in whatever small space is available—under the stairs, in a cardboard box, etc.—the owner told Newsweek via TikTok. But where she found him one day napping was a first.
In the November 5 TikTok video posted on the account @richard_and_russell, the owner walks into the hallway unprepared for Richard's new sleeping spot. The family recently welcomed a newborn, and that, of course, means endless new supplies. Richard saw an empty stroller outfitted with a padded bed and thought it "looked like a good option."
He climbed into the stroller and claimed it as his. Unbothered that he was caught, he stared back at his owner as if it were his stroller the whole time. In his mind, "he is the baby," and no newborn will ever take that title away from him.
The text on the video reads: "I think Richard is struggling to adjust to the new baby..."
Richard's reaction to being around baby items isn't uncommon. A change in family dynamics can be hard on pets, which is why the preparation and introduction period is crucial. An article on the website Chewy recommends that owners prepare their pets before the baby comes home by pretending to carry the baby, taking your dog on a walk with a stroller, exposing it to baby sounds and setting up the nursery.
When it comes time to bring home the baby, slow and supervised meetings are key. Keep it short and sweet to start. Reward the pet with good behavior. It's also important to keep its routine and still provide it with exercise and enrichment.
Viewers were cracking up over where the owner found Richard. As of Thursday, the TikTok video had amassed over 241,100 views, 22,600 likes and 419 comments.
"It's the 'Can I help you?' look for me," commented one user.
Some wrote about what Richard was likely thinking, such as "If I fits I sits!" and "I'm the baby of this house don't be mistaken."
Others demanded the owner treat Richard like the baby he is: "Richard should be wrapped up warm at this time of year, babies can't regulate temperature the way we do."
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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