10
Loading video...
By Alyce Collins
Senior Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
While some animals love to socialize, a dog who doesn't have any friends at day care has melted millions of hearts online.
Despite attending the same day care for six years, Bentley the cavapoo hasn't managed to make any friends in that time. This was made abundantly clear when his owner, Poppy Lane, 20, looked through the photos taken by staff that showed poor Bentley, 7 years, sitting by himself every time.
Lane has always known that he doesn't naturally gravitate toward other dogs, but she told Newsweek that she "didn't know how bad it was" until she looked through the photos. Fortunately, she was able to laugh about her dog's awkwardness, and she found the pictures quite hilarious.
Read More on Pets
She shared a slideshow on TikTok (@poppyelizabethxox). The text joked that Bentley "has no friends at day care" and went viral with more than 2.8 million views and over 469,000 likes in a matter of days.
...
"Bentley doesn't really engage with other dogs," Lane, from the U.K, said. "He has a few other pals, but not many. He's more scared of dogs who are a lot bigger than him, and he won't go near them, but will let little dogs come up to him."
Lane continued: "He likes to keep to himself. The day care tries to include him as much as possible, but he's just a chill dog who likes humans more than dogs."
When Bentley was a puppy, he lost his eye due to a tragic accident and it had to be removed. His right one is now stitched up, although it is hard to tell as he has such thick, black fur. Lane said that she often wonders if this "had an impact on his confidence" and prevents him from making friends.
Fortunately, Bentley loves humans, and he is more than happy to spend time with the people who run the day care when he attends.
"There was a time when he would run out of the house and jump into the van when the day care owner would arrive," Lane said. "Then he reached a point when he would refuse to leave our house, and we had to pick him up and give him to the day care owner. Now, as he gets older, it doesn't take much convincing. I don't think he minds anymore."
Lane has been blown away by the online response to her TikTok post since it went viral. While many people were concerned about Bentley, she said that he is just a pup who is "happy in his own company."
Indeed, her family enjoys the pictures of him so much that they have even created a calendar with all the images of him sitting alone at the back. In the meantime, Lane is considering other day care options just in case.
She said: "I posted it as a joke because we know he doesn't have any friends, and although it's sad, we like to see the funny side. A lot of people found it upsetting, which I understand, but that's just what he's like, and he loves the owners."
In just a number of days, the viral TikTok post has generated more than 2,250 comments as many were left in tears by Bentley's lack of friends.
One comment reads: "The way he gets farther away in each photo."
Another TikTok user wrote: "This just broke my heart."
"Stop, this is genuinely making me so sad," added a third commenter.
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.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines