A cocker spaniel has been dubbed the “Hannibal Lecter of the dog world” after a video of him trying to wear a plush stuffed bear was viewed more than 1.2 million times.
In the clip posted by owner @gregorhuntercoleman three days ago, the dog is busy tearing into the stuffed bear—with stuffed animals surrounding him. But it was his next move that left people in stitches; he climbs into the outer material as if trying to become a newly skinned bear.
The cocker spaniel is completely engrossed in the unusual activity, surrounded by a sea of soft stuffing as it carefully unwraps the innocent teddy bear. The owner humorously captioned the TikTok video saying, “Never a dull moment with this guy,” before adding “My dog is broken,” in a text overlay.
If you’re a dog owner, you may be familiar with destroying toys—something that many puppies of all ages do. The main reasons why your pet might decide to tear up the toy you lovingly gave them is all about instinct. Their digging nature makes them destroy toys, and boredom or need for mental stimulation may also play a role.
Many dogs see their toys as prey; it’s part of what makes them happy. But this gives them the need to destroy them, too, especially breeds with a high prey drive such as terriers, greyhounds, beagles, and retrievers. While breaking toys is generally harmless—forgetting the financial cost of replacing them, of course—it’s important to supervise your pet if they destroy a toy because of potential choking hazards.
Photo by John Barr/Liaison
In hundreds of comments, people shared their reactions to the dog’s funny behavior.
User kellfax wrote, “IT’S A PUPPET!!!” while danyhuygen1 posted: “Your dog is very good at camouflage.”
“They’re just trying on a new coat,” commented Michael, and viewer RiahEvers added: “He just wants to cosplay as a teddy bear.”
Others couldn’t help but laugh, as Erin praised the pup and wrote: “What a wee legend,” while Kathryn posted that it was both “scary and hilarious.”
The cocker spaniel’s antics resonated with pet owners as they continued to share and like the video, which quickly helped him gain viral attention.
Newsweek @gregorhuntercoleman has been contacted via TikTok for comment.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or photos of your pet that you want to share? Send them to [email protected] along with a few details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is dedicated to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in search of common ground.
Newsweek is dedicated to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in search of common ground.
