2 days ago
Hysterics Over How Labrador Pranks Her Neighbor Every Day: 'Nose Height'
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A video of a Labrador named Emmy leaping out of her owner's car and dashing across the street to complete her daily ritual has gone viral on TikTok, amassing 3.5 million views.
The clip shared to @emmythelabofficial shows Emmy sitting in a car and a male voice can be heard behind the camera explaining that they'd had a long day and that Emmy hadn't yet seen the neighbor, Linda Rose. That, he suggests, explains why she was so eager to race over and wag her tail excitedly while waiting for the door to open.
When she reaches the house, she rings a doorbell positioned at nose height—presumably just for her.
Before the door is even fully open, she darts inside. The heartwarming scene, captioned: "Labrador retriever pranks neighbor with her daily trick," has received 357,000 likes since it was shared on June 9.
"I love that she has her own doorbell. Labs are so smart," praised one user. Another commented: "The doorbell at nose height [crying emoji].
How Pets Help Us Make Friends
While it's well known that pets, especially dogs, are great companions, researchers have found that our furry friends might also help us build human friendships and expand our social circles. In the comments, one follower notes that Linda Rose is an elderly neighbor.
A study published in the journal PLOS One involving residents from four cities—Perth in Australia, and San Diego, Portland, and Nashville in the U.S.—looked into whether pets help people connect with others in their neighborhoods.
A stock image of a Labrador retriever standing at front door.
A stock image of a Labrador retriever standing at front door.
Arvydas Lakacauskas/iStock / Getty Images Plus
Over 2,600 people were surveyed over the phone, including both pet owners and non-pet owners. The researchers asked how often they meet and get to know people around them, and if their pets played a role in that.
The results were clear: people who owned pets were much more likely to know others in their local area. In fact, pet owners were around 60 percent more likely to strike up a conversation with neighbors than those without pets. The effect was especially strong in Perth, San Diego, and Nashville.
The study also revealed that around 40 percent of pet owners reported receiving one or more types of social support—whether emotional, informational, appraisal-based (e.g., feedback or encouragement), or practical help—from the people they met through their pets.
Among pet owners, dog owners stood out. In the U.S. cities, dog owners were significantly more likely than owners of other types of pets (like cats, birds, or fish) to say that they'd made real friends through their pets. Think dog park chats that turn into coffee dates or neighborhood strolls that spark new friendships.
In short, owning a pet—especially a dog—doesn't just bring joy at home. It might just be the icebreaker you didn't know you needed to turn neighbors into friends and build a stronger sense of community.
Newsweek reached out to @emmythelabofficial for comment via email. We could not verify the details of the case.
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