
Hearts Melt Over How Woman Wakes Up Deaf Dog After Coming Home: 'Serotonin'
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A dog owner returned home to her deaf dog sleeping on the couch, and the way she carefully woke her, ensuring not to startle the canine, melted people's hearts.
Deaf dogs can startle easily or become frightened when awakened abruptly, sometimes leading to anxiety and aggression, which makes it crucial for pet parents to learn how to wake them carefully, helping them feel safe and comfortable. And for Abby, who is known on TikTok as @anwilson.01, this cautious routine happens every time she returns home.
Abby told Newsweek via TikTok that her rescue dog, Mila, is almost always sleeping on the couch when she walks into the house. Since welcoming Mila home, she's created a routine that ensures her dog never gets scared.
"I'll either pet her gently like in the video or let her sniff my hand first so I don't startle her," she said.
Screenshots from a July 25 TikTok video of an owner carefully waking up her deaf dog sleeping on the couch when she returned home.
Screenshots from a July 25 TikTok video of an owner carefully waking up her deaf dog sleeping on the couch when she returned home.
@anwilson.01/TikTok
Abby shared an example of her waking up Mila in a July 25 TikTok video, with the caption that reads: "The happiest girl." Abby tiptoed her way over to the couch, where Mila was curled up, and placed her one hand on the dog's side. Slowly, she began petting Mila, which caused the dog's eyes to flutter open.
One look at Abby was enough for her dog to start smiling. Her dreams came true; her owner returned. She lifted her head, accepting all the pets Abby gave her as a welcome-home greeting.
Mila wasn't the only one thrilled to have her human home. Any time Abby wakes her dog, it becomes an instant "serotonin" boost for her.
"It's truly the greatest feeling in the world and validates to me that she has the happiest life, regardless if she can hear or not," Abby said.
Viewer Reactions
People instantly fell in love with the dog's reaction, and as of Wednesday, the TikTok video had more than 2.1 million views and 449,200 likes as of Thursday.
"The little 'Oh hi, mommy' smile,'" a viewer pointed out.
A second person commented: "This boosted MY serotonin, thank you."
Another added: "Imagine her joy, she falls asleep on the couch and the next thing she knows is that she's waking up with the caresses of her favorite human. You're giving her the best life!"
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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