Owner Tries 'Gentle Parenting' on Foster Dog—German Shepherd Has Thoughts
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A German shepherd is earning praise online for its no-nonsense parenting style in a viral TikTok clip that shows the dog stepping in when a foster pup's antics go a little too far.
The video, shared by TikTok user @babooneka, has amassed 2.1 million views since it was posted on June 7, gaining widespread attention from viewers charmed by the older dog's approach.
Text overlaid on the clip reads: "I'm fostering this dog but my German shepherd said he doesn't do gentle parenting."
In the video, a foster dog is seen using its paw to splash water from a bowl onto a wooden deck in an outdoor area. Moments later, the German shepherd strides over, apparently determined to restore order.
The German shepherd uses its paw to push the other pup away from the water bowl, then grabs the foster dog by the skin of its neck a few times. Toward the end of the clip, the German shepherd manages to drag the other dog off the deck and onto a grassy patch.
A caption on the post reads: "My German shepherd is THE real foster mom around here."
The playful yet assertive interaction between the two dogs fits with what scientists understand about canine social behavior.
A March 2019 study published in Scientific Reports noted that "dogs can form relationships of comparable qualities with both humans and other dogs," and that these relationships vary across multiple components depending on the partner.
Stanley Coren, a professor emeritus in the department of psychology at the University of British Columbia and author of several books about dogs, says that dogs thrive on positive social interactions, regardless of species. In a February 2013 article for Psychology Today, Coren explained: "Although dogs are happiest when they are in a social situation, the species that they are interacting with is less important than the quality of the interactions."
He added: "Dogs that have been properly socialized will congenially approach virtually anything that is alive, regardless of its species, and, unless they receive hostile signals, they will attempt to establish a good-natured relationship."
Viewers on TikTok flooded the comments section with amused reactions.
User Jennifer Dawn Allen wrote: "He said you wanna act like a baby I'm gonna carry you like one." The original poster responded: "He is so strict."
Another user, Elizabeth Shekhets, asked: "Is he available to babysit human kids too? I have two and I'm tired."
Some commenters noted the German shepherd's initial patience. User roberta freyta said: "To be fair... he did TRY being gentle but that kid didn't listen." The original poster replied: "He tried but got fed up."
User agent cool mane joked "He's wondering when did we stop parenting around here," to which the original poster replied: "He called me out."
Rala added: "I love when older dogs show younger dogs manners like they themselves were not absolutely chaotic as a puppy haha."
Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified.
Stock image: A German shepherd dog staring ahead with a stern look in an outdoor setting.
Stock image: A German shepherd dog staring ahead with a stern look in an outdoor setting.
Getty
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.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
A DIY mushroom trend has become a major invasive threat in Canada & the U.S.
Golden oyster mushrooms have escaped cultivation and are now growing in at least 25 states in the U.S. The invasive species has also been spotted growing in the wild in Ontario. Golden oyster mushrooms, known for their yellow caps and nutty flavor, became popular in the early 2000s following the introduction of growing kits that allowed people to grow them at home. It's a trend that continues to this day. A quick search on TikTok suggests the kits continue to be sold and used in parts of Canada and the U.S. The mushrooms were first reported in U.S. forests around 2010. Earlier this month, the Government of Michigan posted a press release stating the fungi is 'invading' the state's forests, and their presence is displacing native fungal species and decreasing biodiversity. 'Trees where golden oyster mushrooms were detected hosted about half as much diversity of fungal species as trees where the golden oyster mushroom was not detected,' reads a statement by researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who published a study on invasive golden oyster mushrooms in the U.S. last month. 'Loss of native fungal diversity could have implications for the rate of decomposition and carbon storage capacity in forests. It could also deplete fungal species with rich potential for pharmaceutical development.' Experts aren't sure how the mushrooms escaped home gardens, but they have spread quickly since then. Golden oyster mushrooms prefer warm, humid environments, so researchers ran climate models to predict how the species would fare in North America as temperatures warm. Those models predicted that the species' range will continue to expand in North America, allowing it to disrupt more ecosystems. The team is now looking at what makes this species a successful invader in North America, in hopes of finding ways to eliminate it from the wild. 'Since fungi provide ecosystem services in unique niches, loss of native species could dramatically alter how an ecosystem functions,' the study's authors write. The golden oyster mushroom range is increasing in North America. (Invasive golden oyster mushrooms are disrupting native fungal communities as they spread throughout North America Veerabahu, Aishwarya et al. Current Biology, Volume 0, Issue 0) Big benefits to cultivating native species Native plants — i.e., foliage that naturally occurs in a region — are an important part of the ecosystem, and there are big benefits to planting them over non-native species, like the golden oyster mushroom. Native plants and fungi support wildlife. Planting native varieties provides shelter and food for home-grown insects, birds, and other animals that benefit the ecosystem. Native varieties save water. Native plants tend to be better at retaining moisture than non-native varieties. It's an evolutionary advantage that can translate into big savings for you, in terms of money, resources, and effort. Natives are more weather-resistant. Canadians are weather-hardy, and so are our plants. Native greenery is more likely to survive Canada's harsh winters, rollercoaster springs, and summer dry spells, increasing the chances they'll bloom in your garden year after year. Native species tend to require fewer pesticides. Once established in your garden, native plants are relatively easy to maintain. It's that home advantage once again: over time, native species have developed natural defenses against local diseases and 'pest' insects that can damage or kill exotic plants. If you'd like to decrease usage of harsh chemicals and encourage natural predator insects to do the work instead, native plants will help. Header image: Golden oyster mushrooms found growing in the wild in Michigan Government of Michigan Solve the daily Crossword
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
New Vaccine Shows Promise Against One of the Deadliest Cancers
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Early clinical and preclinical results are showing that experimental mRNA and nanoparticle vaccines produced measurable immune responses against pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest cancers, and that in small patient groups those immune responses correlated with delayed recurrence or prolonged survival. Why It Matters Pancreatic cancer has among the lowest survival rates of common cancers and limited effective treatments. Multiple small trials and preclinical studies published and reported in the past year indicated that novel vaccine platforms, including personalized mRNA vaccines and layered lipid nanoparticles, were able to induce tumor‑targeting T cells in patients and animal models, prompting researchers to plan larger trials. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma had an approximate five‑year survival near 13 percent in recent reports, making it one of the most lethal common cancers. What To Know Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) and collaborators ran a phase 1 trial in February testing a personalized mRNA vaccine called autogene cevumeran (BNT122, RO7198457) in 16 patients with operable pancreatic cancer who received surgery, chemotherapy and the vaccine, according to the peer reviewed journal Nature Medicine. Newsweek reached out to MSK via email for comment. The vaccine was developed and researched through a collaboration between BioNTech, an immunotherapy company, and Genentech, a member of the Roche Group. It is not a cure for the type of cancer itself; however, signs point to improving longevity in individuals who contract the disease. Investigators reported that half of participants mounted vaccine‑induced tumor‑specific T‑cell responses. Also, long-term efficacy was reported as patients with a vaccine-induced immune response had a reduced risk of cancer returning at three-year follow-up appointments compared with patients whose immune systems did not respond. Trials have occurred as cancer is on the rise this year compared to last, according to the American Cancer Society's 2025 annual Facts & Figures report. More than 2 million new cancer cases are expected this year, according to a 48-page report. Roughly 618,000 Americans are expected to die from cancer in 2025, equating to about 1,700 deaths per day, and both one-in-three men and women are said to develop cancer in their lifetime. These five cancers are predicted to take nearly 323,900 male lives in a year: Lung and bronchus—64,190 male deaths Prostate—35,770 male deaths Colon and rectum—28,900 male deaths Pancreas—27,050 male deaths Liver and intrahepatic bile duct—19,250 male deaths These five cancers are estimated to take nearly 294,220 female lives in a year, described by researchers as a "substantial" increase compared to 2024 numbers: Lung and bronchus—60,540 female deaths Breast—42,170 female deaths Pancreas—24,930 female deaths Colon and rectum—24,000 female deaths Uterine—13,860 female deaths Researchers reported early clinical and preclinical results showing that experimental mRNA and nanoparticle vaccines produced measurable immune responses against pancreatic cancer. Researchers reported early clinical and preclinical results showing that experimental mRNA and nanoparticle vaccines produced measurable immune responses against pancreatic cancer. Getty Images What People Are Saying Vinod Balachandran, a surgical oncologist at MSK and principal investigator of the February 2025 trial, said at the time of the trial's conclusion: "The latest data from the phase 1 trial are encouraging. They suggest this investigational therapeutic mRNA vaccine can mobilize anti-tumor T cells that may recognize pancreatic cancers as foreign, potentially years after vaccination." He added: "For patients with pancreatic cancer, our latest results continue to support the approach of using personalized mRNA vaccines to target neoantigens in each patient's tumor. If you can do this in pancreas cancer, theoretically you may be able to develop therapeutic vaccines for other cancer types." Immunologist Li Lily Wang, an associate professor of molecular medicine at the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, said earlier this year: "This platform has the potential to transform clinical care for this devastating disease. I am excited to see that our novel nano-vaccine worked so well in eliciting vigorous responses from tumor-reactive T cells-which are typically low in numbers and unable to control tumor growth." What Happens Next? Researchers planned larger trials to test whether the vaccine‑induced immune responses translated into longer survival and lower recurrence rates. MSKCC and industry partners launched a phase 2 trial to evaluate the personalized pancreatic mRNA vaccine in a larger cohort following the encouraging phase 1 immune data. Across studies, authors and outside experts urged caution because the human data remained small. Investigators and commentators said larger randomized trials were necessary to determine whether the immune responses would translate into durable survival benefits and acceptable safety in broader patient populations.
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Weight Loss May Improve Pregnancy Odds
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Weight loss interventions for people who are overweight and obese undertaken before turning to IVF could increase the chances of getting pregnant naturally. This is the conclusion of researchers from University of Oxford who reviewed 12 past studies involving nearly 2,000 patients from 1980 to May of this year. They compared a woman's weight to how likely they were to become pregnant either without IVF (unassisted pregnancy), with IVF (treatment-induced pregnancy) and overall (unassisted plus treatment-induced)—as well as whether they delivered a live baby. "All participants in the included studies were candidates for IVF. Before having IVF, they were offered weight loss support. The women who got pregnant naturally, ended up not needing to have IVF," study author and dietician Moscho Michalopoulou told Newsweek. Side view pregnant woman with advanced pregnant belly belly in hands. Side view pregnant woman with advanced pregnant belly belly in criteria included studies conducted on women who were at least 18 years old with a BMI of 27 kg/m² or greater who were seeking IVF with or without intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment (ICSI) for infertility. "IVF and ICSI are assisted reproductive techniques where oocytes [cells involved in reproduction] are fertilized outside the body, before embryos are transferred back into the woman's womb. The key difference is how the fertilization is achieved," Michalopoulou explained. "Regular IVF egg and sperm are typically mixed in a Petri dish, with ICSI, the sperm is directly injected into the egg." The researchers found that participants were typically women in their early 30s with a median baseline BMI of 33.6 kg/m². The weight loss interventions studied included low-energy diets, an exercise program accompanied by healthy eating advice and pharmacotherapy accompanied by diet and physical activity advice. "Low-energy diets, also known as total diet replacements, typically use liquid formula products to replace real food and induce a much larger energy deficit with total energy intake of no more than 1000 kcal/day, followed by gradual reintroduction of foods for weight stabilization," Michalopoulou explained. She said these are safe for women when supervised and supported to follow such a program, with a lot of literature on the effectiveness of these diets. "In this one study, the main intervention being tested was high-intensity interval training (referenced as Kiel 2018 in the paper). At the same time, participants were advised to eat healthy as per national healthy eating recommendations," said Michalopoulou. In terms of the 'pharmacotherapy' intervention, she added, "Participants were instructed to take weight loss medication which was the main intervention being tested, but at the same time, they were given healthy eating advice or a hypocaloric diet [low in calories], plus advice on how to increase their physical activity, e.g. doing more steps, or doing exercise." Overall, weight loss interventions before IVF were associated with greater unassisted pregnancy rates, according to the researchers. "Regardless of weight loss method used, across all studies, women with obesity who participated in a supported weight loss program before IVF had 47 percent higher chances of getting pregnant naturally, compared to women in the comparator groups who typically received standard care," said Michalopoulou. "Therefore, more women in the intervention than in the comparator groups did not need to have IVF treatment to get pregnant, as they got pregnant naturally." However, evidence was inconclusive on the effect of weight loss interventions on treatment-induced pregnancies. Illustration representing IVF process with eggs fertilized with sperm. Illustration representing IVF process with eggs fertilized with sperm."It is unclear if weight loss interventions before IVF have an effect on the chances of getting pregnant through IVF. In some studies there were more IVF pregnancies in the intervention groups compared to standard care, in some others there were fewer IVF pregnancies compared to standard care—and in some others there was no difference in IVF pregnancy rates compared to standard care," Michalopoulou explained. "This large variability, combined with other methodological issues of the included studies, prevent us from having a clear conclusion on whether weight loss programs before IVF have an effect on IVF-induced pregnancy success or not." Evidence on the association between weight loss interventions before IVF and live births was uncertain—mainly because there were fewer studies that reported live birth outcomes—although there was moderate certainty of no association with pregnancy loss. "Obesity can lead to female infertility through hormone imbalance, insulin resistance, inflammation, and polycystic ovary syndrome. All of these can lead to ovulatory dysfunction," said Michalopoulou. "Obesity has also been associated with lower IVF success for women with infertility, such as requiring higher doses of treatment, reduced response to the medications, reduced chances of getting pregnant, and increased chances of miscarriage if a pregnancy is achieved." "Maintaining a healthier weight can help improve hormone balance, increase insulin sensitivity, reduce inflammation, and improve ovulation. For women seeking IVF, lowering their BMI to healthier levels may improve sensitivity and response to the treatment, improve egg quality and uterine function, and as a result, increase their chances of getting pregnant." However, everyone is different, the researcher noted. "Many larger women will have healthy pregnancies. But evidence shows that starting pregnancy carrying too much weight and gaining too much weight during pregnancy are both associated with greater risks of complications. This does not mean that every woman living with obesity will develop these complications—just that there will likely be more complications than in women who start pregnancy in the normal BMI range" The researchers hope their systematic review and analysis of randomized controlled trials will lead to more advanced trials. "We already know weight loss can help with fertility, but whether it improves IVF outcomes is far less certain. This review sheds some light, but most of the studies are small and at high risk of bias, so the results need cautious interpretation. IVF bypasses many obesity-related barriers, but what is still unclear is if delaying treatment for weight loss truly boosts success rates," said Ying Cheong—a professor of reproductive medicine of the University of Southampton who was not involved in the present study—in a statement. "Weight loss interventions before IVF appear to increase the chances of pregnancy, especially through natural conception, which may negate the need for IVF treatment, and does not seem to increase the risk of pregnancy loss. This offers hope to women with obesity and infertility," Michalopoulou said. "However, the evidence is limited and unclear on whether weight loss interventions before IVF have an effect on live birth rates, and more evidence from larger, high-quality trials is needed to test this." Do you have a tip on a health story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about pregnancy? Let us know via health@ Reference Michalopoulou, M., Jebb, S. A., Hobson, A., Khaw, S. C., Stevens, R., Melo, P., Haffner, S. J. P., Clay, K. S., Mounsey, S., Granne, I., Lim, L., Child, T., & Astbury, N. M. (2025). The effect of weight loss before in vitro fertilization on reproductive outcomes in women with obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Annals of Internal Medicine, 178(9).
