A video posted on TikTok showed a labradoodle named Cooper who refused to move from the couch when it was bedtime, displaying a dramatic reaction that left viewers in stitches. Despite the dog baring his teeth and groaning, his owners were able to laugh it off and not be disheartened by his stubbornness. The video gained over 6.4 million views and 362,400 likes as social-media users were entertained by the grumpy dog’s antics.
Cooper’s owner explained in the comments that he was just being silly and would never actually bite anyone. The dog’s dramatic behavior was attributed to his love of attention and his playful nature. Resource guarding, a common trait among dogs, can lead to possessiveness and territorial behavior over favorite items. Signs of resource guarding include a hard stare, lifting lips to show teeth, low growling, and stiffening of the body. It is important to train dogs from an early age to prevent this behavior from becoming problematic.
The American Kennel Club advises against punishment or yelling at the dog as it can worsen resource guarding behavior. If not addressed, this behavior can become dangerous in some instances. Cooper’s owner emphasized that he is affectionate most of the time and loves attention, but has a tendency to get cranky when his evening routine is disrupted. Despite Cooper’s grumpy behavior in the viral video, he is shown to be a loving and affectionate pet in other videos shared by his owner on TikTok.
The viral clip of Cooper refusing to move from the couch has generated almost 5,000 comments, with many people sharing their own experiences of pets displaying similar behavior. Some commenters related to the situation, mentioning that their own dogs do not want to be moved when they are comfortable. Others advised addressing the behavior to prevent it from escalating and becoming a bigger issue. Cooper’s owner continued to share videos of him to show his loving nature when he is not being cranky.
Newsweek reached out to Cooper’s owner via TikTok for comment on the viral video, but details could not be verified. The video of Cooper’s refusal to move from the couch has sparked discussion among viewers about their own pets’ behavior and experiences with resource guarding. Readers were encouraged to share their own funny and adorable videos or pictures of their pets with the chance to be featured as the Pet of the Week in Newsweek.
