Couple Ask Golden Retriever To Guess Baby's Gender, Unprepared for Result

Newsweek

2 days ago

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In an adorable TikTok video, a golden retriever named Huckleberry was given a very special task, predicting the gender of his owners' baby. What happened next has melted hearts among social-media users.
The viral clip, shared in May under the username @michaelandabbey, shows the pregnant poster, Abbey Less, from Ohio, kneeling in front of the 4-year-old pup, presenting him with two choices. "Is it a boy or a girl? Baby brother or baby sister?" she asks the pup, as she holds both hands up for him to make his choice.
Screenshots of the viral video show the poster asking Huckleberry to guess whether he's having a baby brother or sister.
Screenshots of the viral video show the poster asking Huckleberry to guess whether he's having a baby brother or sister.
@michaelandabbey
"Before we opened the envelop we asked our dog if he thought we were having a boy or a girl?" she explains in the caption, "we did best two out of 3 to be safe." After taking his time to carefully consider his choices, the golden retriever made up his mind, and decided to go for 'baby sister.'
Less told Newsweek that Huckleberry is the "heart of [their] little family," and they always involve him in whatever they do.
"We've always dreamed of having a golden retriever, and since the moment we brought him home, he's been part of everything we do, from travel to daily routines. He's affectionate, expressive, and hilariously intuitive," Less said.
"Whether we're getting ready in the morning or lounging on the couch, he's right there with us. He's not just our pet; he's our best friend, sidekick, and now, soon-to-be big brother," she added.
So the couple also decided to give Huckleberry an important role in their gender revel.
"Instead of throwing a big gender-reveal party, we wanted a quiet, personal moment and, naturally, Huckleberry had to be part of it.
"We asked him one last time if he thought it was a boy or girl (we'd asked him a few times before just for fun), and his side-eye paired with his 'answer' had us cracking up. We added a dramatic slow zoom for comedic effect, and somehow it just struck a chord with viewers," Less added.
It turns out that Huckleberry was right. In an update shared the following day, the couple opened the scan envelop on camera, to share their genuine reaction with their followers, confirming that they are indeed having a baby girl.
While gender-reveal parties are common among expecting parents in the United States, many don't like the idea. Data shared by YouGov found about 35 percent of Americans say these parties are "unnecessary."
Less and her husband, Michael, are high-school sweethearts and recently celebrated 12 years of marriage, so this new chapter of life feels incredibly special for them.
Less said: "What's meant the most is how many people have related to including their dogs in life's big (and small) moments. We thought we were the only ones asking our dog questions and letting him 'weigh in;' turns out, we're definitely not alone.
"This pregnancy has been such a beautiful chapter, and we're so grateful that Huckleberry gets to be part of it. We know he's going to be the best big brother," she added.
The video quickly went viral on social media and has so far received over 8.6 million views and more than 1.1 million likes on the platform.
One user, Joceline, commented: "Not him looking at the camera like he's in an episode of the office."
Kayla posted: "The side eye … 'If I don't pick, will it be neither?'"
AFlanagan85 added: "He put some serious thought into his answer."
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.