We all think our dog is the most beautiful dog in the world, but apparently the whole world believes Eryn Bugbee's dog is the prettiest in all the land.
In a video posted to Bugbee's TikTok account @erynandpiper, she's panning the camera across a beautiful lake surrounded by sun drenched trees, as her dog poses, perching on a rock with the beautiful surroundings as his back drop, as multiple tourists take his picture.
"POV: you realize all the tourists are taking pictures of your dog too," reads the text.
@erynandpiper POV: you realize your dog is 100x cooler and cuter than you 😂😂😂 Have you ever caught people taking photos of your dog in public??? #rescuedog #photogenicdog #dogmom #dogmomlife #dogsoftiktok #weratedogs #cutedog
♬ Dear Theodosia - Leslie Odom Jr. & Lin-Manuel Miranda
Social media is full of images and videos of cats, dogs, raccoons, and many other exotic pets, and a third of pet parents take more photos of their furry friends than of their kids or significant others, according to a survey by OnePoll on behalf of the Maytag brand. The study of 2,000 dog and cat owners revealed that 27 percent of respondents said they have more pictures of their pet than of anyone else, and that number drops to 16 percent when it comes to pictures of their partner.
No wonder people prefer taking pictures of their pets over their partners, as a study by Psychology Today found that looking at pictures of our furry friends can even improve our wellbeing.
Many studies have found that interacting with dogs, even if they're not your own, can reduce stress.
"Absolutely. I think it is safe to say that animals are beneficial to our mental and physical health," says Nancy Gee, a professor of psychiatry and director of the Center for Human-Animal Interaction at Virginia Commonwealth University, in an article for NPR.
Gee says that there is significant evidence emerging that shows that levels of the stress hormone cortisol drops in people after just five to 10 minutes spent interacting with dogs, even if it's not their pet.
"Also, we see increases in oxytocin, that feel-good kind of bonding hormone," she says. And it's not just humans that benefit from these brief exchanges. "What I love about this research is that it's a two-way street," Gee says. "We see the same thing in the dogs, so the dogs' oxytocin also increases when they interact with a human."
Users on TikTok loved the video, with it receiving more than 950,000 views and 161,000 likes.
"I could never trust my goofy dog to just sit there, well done," shared one user. "Can they at least send them to you before making them a canva template," said another.
Newsweek has reached out to @erynandpiper via email for comment.
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.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Leonie Helm is a Newsweek Life Reporter and is based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on all things ... Read more
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