If staying in and decorating the tree (hopefully with some tea or hot chocolate and pleasant music) is a great December evening, walking your dog and seeing all the pretty homes lit up for the season is a close second.
But what if that walk turns into a horror movie? TikTok user @golden_girl_nala took a walk with their dog on a snowy evening, but this was no regular stroll. All was calm, bright, and merry… until they came across an adorable snowman with a goofy grin and outstretched arms. The dog growled and even when her owner said, “It’s a very nice snowman,” she wasn’t entirely convinced.
One person commented “Man’s best friend, snowman’s worst nightmare,” which explains exactly what is going on here. As many others expressed, Golden Retrievers are lovely, wonderful, warm pets who rarely seem unfriendly. Nala could just tell that this one was up to no good! One user supported Nala and wrote, “if the golden doesn’t trust him, we don’t trust him.” Another said “Never trust a snowman a golden retriever dislikes.”
It might take a private detective to figure out why this sweet Golden wasn’t a fan of the snowman since, unfortunately, dogs can’t tell us what they’re thinking. (One the most unfair parts of life, but that’s another story.) But if a dog doesn’t like someone, people can usually figure out why. Dogs aren’t big fans of people who carry the scent of their dog around, and they don’t enjoy the smell of vinegar or citrus, either. It also turns out they want a human to speak to them in a friendly, high voice. Dogs also want humans to be kind and supportive of one another. James Anderson studied animals at Kyoto University and looked at how a dog reacted when someone couldn’t get a container open. The dog was warm and receptive toward anyone who lent them a hand, but didn’t like those who said no. It’s unclear if this snowman acted poorly, but maybe this Golden knows all their secrets.
Besides running into scary snowmen in the neighborhood, a walk to look at Christmas lights is a low-risk way to celebrate the season with your pet. Although the snowmen couldn’t actually come to life and the dog was totally safe, you don’t want your dog to get too close to the pretty lights on your tree. Vets have seen dogs eat Christmas lights and get electrocuted, which can be fatal. No one wants to think about such a terrifying thing happening on Dec. 25 (or anytime of year), but it’s important to be aware of that.
Even if not every dog feels the same way about a seemingly innocent snowman hanging out on someone’s front lawn as Nala, many dogs do have a tough time when their owners celebrate the holidays. As CNN shared, it’s smart to do the same things with your sweet dog that you would normally so they feel their schedule is familiar. You should also leave their dog bed where it is if you’re hosting at home. Dogs might also drool, bark more, and/or pant when they’re feeling overwhelmed. I just want to give all those dogs a big hug.
Nala might not love walking by a snowman when she’s just trying to enjoy the outdoors, but hopefully she has a great holiday. And I want to know one more thing: how does this Golden Retriever feel about Hot Frosty?
Published: Dec 28, 2024 4:00 PM UTC