By Liz O'ConnellShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberA couple grew concerned when their dog suddenly began limping around the house, but the vet’s explanation for the behavior had them laughing.
Five weeks postpartum, a woman focused on her recovery and caring for the newborn, but after noticing the dog limping around the house, she shifted gears. She and her husband immediately took the dog to the vet. Worry and concern flooded them as their dog is just as much a part of the family as their children.
But in a November 20 Instagram video posted to her account @justlikeothermoms, which has garnered more than 231,000 views and 5,200 likes as of Monday, she revealed all the worry about her injured dog was for nothing. She filmed herself shaking her head in disbelief as the vet gave her dog a clean bill of health.
The limp, it turned out, was purely theatrical. The dog had been seeking attention ever since the baby came along.
"The doctor said there was literally nothing wrong with him," she told Newsweek. "My husband and I just stared at each other and burst out laughing."
...Even after the vet visit, the dog didn't drop the act. She said he continued to limp for about three days.
"I was speechless because he’s so incredibly performative," she said.
This type of jealous dog behavior is common among families welcoming home newborns, according to an article on Dogster. Because dogs form deep emotional bonds with their owners, they may become jealous when another pet or baby diverts attention. Signs of jealousy can include whining, barking, getting between family members, seeking physical contact, growling, snapping or pushing the perceived rival away.
Instagram users felt bad for the dog competing for attention, and many tried to comfort the owners as they shared similar stories in the comments.
"Poor thing is going to have a tough adjustment," said one viewer, while another joked: "At least it was not the hubby!"
A third commenter asked: "Is this like a rite of passage because I swear I did the same, struggled myself to take the dog to the vet for barfing or whatever and they were like she's fine, while I'm a hot mess and worried about leaving the baby with my sister for an hour?"
And it's not just the dogs. One commenter wrote: "My cats do this. One will hold an eye shut. The other will limp and forget which leg to hold up. Big jealous babies!"
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Request Reprint & LicensingSubmit CorrectionView Editorial & AI Guidelines
Add Newsweek as a preferred source on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search.Recommended For You
WorldFrench Farm Robbed of Entire Snail Supply Worth Over $100,0003 min read
PetsAnimal Behaviorists Reveal Why Pets Mirror Our Stress More Than We Think6 min read
Rescue and AdoptionHeartbreak at Dog ‘Losing Hope’ After 450 Days in Shelter With No Interest3 min read
Rescue and AdoptionAmazon Driver Sees Food Left for Stray Cats—Ring Cam Captures What He Does3 min read
LifeWoman Finds 4-Week-Old Puppy Alone in Field—She Knows Exactly What To Do3 min read
PetsParalyzed Kitten Found Near a School, Engineering Students Know What To Do4 min readRelated Podcasts
Top Stories
NewsWhite House Reveals New Details on Donald Trump’s MRI5 min read
NewsUncommon Knowledge: Trump Closes Venezuelan Airspace, but Not NATO Airspace5 min read
NewsWest Virginia Governor Gives Update on Guardsman Injured in DC Shooting3 min read
U.S.Justice Sonia Sotomayor Warns of ‘Two Extremes’ in Supreme Court Case4 min read
WorldRepublicans Demand Probe into Pete Hegseth’s Boat Strikes5 min read
Live BlogBrian Walshe’s Murder Trial: Suspect Offers First Explanation For Wife’s Death—Live Updates2 min readTrending
FloridaAmazon Driver Sees Food Left for Stray Cats—Ring Cam Captures What He Does3 min read
NWSWinter Storm Warning as 8 Inches of Snow to Hit North and Midwest3 min read
ImmigrationGreen Card Update: New Changes for Holders in December6 min read
WeatherWinter Storm Warning As 13 Inches of Snow To Strike: ‘Extreme Caution’3 min read
Donald TrumpMap Shows Donald Trump’s Approval Rating in Each State After 10 Months4 min readOpinion
OpinionForeign Energy Companies Have No Home in Our Forests | Opinion4 min read
OpinionThe Hemp Ban Shows America Still Works | Opinion4 min read
OpinionConventional Wisdom: The Somali Minnesota Welfare Fraud Edition4 min read
OpinionRedefining Professional Degrees Will Hurt Everyday Americans | Opinion5 min read
OpinionAI Is Coming for Our Most Intimate Communications. Congress Must Act | Opinion5 min read
