Dog's Reason for Avoiding Eye Contact with Owner in Morning Warms Hearts

Newsweek

26-05-2025

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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An 8-year-old border collie and husky mix has captured the internet's attention with his unusual morning routine, and internet users can't cope with it.
In a viral TikTok video shared on Tuesday by his owner, under the username @madisondorivanzile, the clever pup can be seen comfortably curled up on his dad's side of the bed, refusing to look at his mom for a hilarious reason.
"Every morning when my husband leaves for work my dog hops onto his side of the bed and thinks that if we avoid eye contact I can't see him," she wrote in the clip. "His side eye is actually unreal," the caption continued.
The poster, Madison Van Zile, from Jacksonville, Florida, told Newsweek that her pup has a "hysterical side eye," as seen in the clip, that he uses regularly when he's doing something sneaky or when he doesn't want to acknowledge them.
Screenshots of the viral clip show the pup trying to avoid making eye contact with his mom so he can stay in bed.
Screenshots of the viral clip show the pup trying to avoid making eye contact with his mom so he can stay in bed.
@madisondorivanzile
"He's a super sassy boy who rules the house and has us absolutely wrapped around his little paws. We rescued him when he was a year and a half years old and his vibrant and quirky personality has been on full display since day one! He's the best dog and the perfect addition to our family," she added.
Dogs are among the smartest species in the animal kingdom, and their intelligence is often compared to that of a human toddler. They can learn tricks of all sorts, words, about 155 on average, and they can even learn how to manipulate you.
According to a Pet MD article by Dr. Virginia LaMon, your dog may, for example, use their puppy eyes to trick you into believing that they haven't had dinner yet, even though someone else has fed them already.
Border collies are considered the smartest dogs in the world, followed by German shepherds, poodles, Australian shepherds, and golden retrievers.
The video quickly went viral on social media and it has so far received more than 244,700 views and 69,600 likes on the platform.
One user, Jmetvwells, commented: "I've read studies on this. It's because he's handsome and can lay where he wants. No one makes up these rules. It's just the way things go."
Susie Diaz said: "If I can't see her, she can't see me."
Soniasuperchingonaortiz added: "Don't be suspicious, don't be suspicious."
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [e-mail] with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.