After spending a fun day with his grandma, a golden retriever named Wally became emotional when she had to leave, and a video of his mom trying to comfort him has melted hearts among social media users.
The viral clip shared on TikTok in July under the username @wally.meets.world, shows the pup leaning on his mom’s chest, as she tries to cheer him up while he cries over his favorite person leaving again.
“Always some big feelings when grandma leaves,” reads the caption, as the poster tries to entertain him with a carrot toy his grandma brought for him.
Wally’s owner, Julia, from Boston, Massachusetts, told Newsweek that her 4-year-old pup loves his grandma a lot and is always excited when she visits.
@wally.meets.world
“She always brings him toys and treats so she has become his favorite person. When she leaves it’s a huge let down and Wally’s emotions start to come out,” she said.
“He gets emotional quite often and it’s what he’s become known for on the internet. His bond with his grandma is one of our audiences favorite things to see.”
Most dogs have a favorite human and it is not always their owner, or even someone who lives in the same household.
A dog’s favorite person can be anyone from their walker to their grandparents. Vet Explains Pets says in an article written by Dr. Jess Kirk, that every dog is unique, and can pick their favorite person for very different reasons.
However, the factors that most influence a pup’s choice include time spent together, interaction and engagement, personality traits, physical traits, routine, trust and respect, as well as past experiences with the person.
The video quickly went viral on TikTok and it has so far received over 6.3 million views and 751,300 likes on the platform.
One user, Jonathan Williams, commented: “Why are golden retrievers so good at expressing sadness lol?”
Suburban Styling | #lowbuy2025 said: “He doesn’t want the carrot toy, he just wants grandma back.”
Another user, Lindsay, wrote: “He can’t even look at the carrot because it reminds him of grandma.”
DaneInVA added: “Ok, hear me out…. Grandma buys the house next door, and you build an enclosed doggy walkway connecting the two houses. Problem solved, easy peasy.”
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.
About the Author
