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A video of a dog being given access to his new backyard has gone viral on TikTok, where it has received 3.5 million views.
The clip was posted by @kodatheminidood, the TikTok account of Koda the mini labradoodle—a crossbreed between a Labrador and a miniature poodle—who just turned a year old in January, the poster of the video, Aleks Swierzb, told Newsweek.
The dog's former home had an apartment balcony, but the new home has a backyard.
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The clip began with the dog shown sitting on a cushion on a small outdoor deck. The pup was seen looking through what appeared to be railings on a gate. The dog was later shown running onto grass, excitedly circling the perimeter of what appeared to be the backyard of a home.
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Swierzb said "myself, my husband, and Koda live in Illinois" and they just purchased their "dream home," after living in an apartment for over a year and a half.
In the first half of the video, Koda—who is "full of lots of energy"—was just 4 months old while still living in the apartment. The second half shows him now, "seeing his yard the day my husband and I closed [the deal] on our first home."
Having backyard space can be vital for some pet owners, especially those who are unable to walk their dogs frequently or those living in places where there may not be many green spaces.
An April 2022 study in Japan said that "owning and caring for dogs can be challenging, especially for those residing in urban areas."
The study, published in the online journal Frontiers in Public Health, concluded that "dog ownership and dog walking have been found to promote physical and mental health in several ways. The design of the surrounding built environment can facilitate or hinder the expected health benefits of owning a dog."
The study also said that "while most of the health benefits of dog ownership are derived from dog walking, not all owners walk their dogs."
Research done in the U.S. found that 30 percent of dog owners had not walked their dogs in the past week, the study said.
In an April 2021 article for the American Kennel Club, professional dog trainer Stephanie Gibeault said it's important to teach your pup boundaries, which are crucial for safety reasons, especially outdoors.
"Your dog shouldn't be free to escape the yard and roam into a busy roadway or encounter wild animals," she said.
While living in the apartment, the couple from the latest viral video said they were located in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. But their current home is in the southwest suburbs.
Koda would "run free and have tons of fun" when visiting the couples' families who have their own backyards. "But other than that, he was limited to the places we were able to take him to," the poster said.
Swierzb explained: "I wouldn't say it was hard to access green spaces including dog parks and fields [while living in the apartment], but nothing compares to letting your dog run free in their own fenced yard.
"Having his own space now brings me so much happiness that he can run around and have his zoomies whenever and for however long his little puppy dog soul desires."
A message overlaid on the latest viral clip read: "POV [point of view] Your apartment dog gets his yard" as the pup was seen sitting in front of a sliding door that was opened for him.
A caption shared with the post said: "I think Koda approves of his yard, what do you think?"
The latest video has clearly had an emotional impact on TikTok users.
Jennifer Gregory wrote: "We're all just out here working to give our dogs a better life," in a comment that got 32,300 likes.
User caroesco20 noted: "Yard?! you mean football field?! so happy for him!"
Galey Alix asked, "Why am I crying," while xo_colunga said, "I'm not crying."
CaldwellsAtTheBeeches wrote: "The happiness I can't, little nugget x"
H3arts wrote: "Awwwwww he's so happy!!! He's doing the happy zommies! we work hard for our furbabies! spoil them coz they're [with us] for a short time."
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.
Update 4/27/23, 11:40 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from the original poster, Aleks Swierzb.
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