A golden retriever learning the simple joys of home life has captured hearts online after a video showed her nightly struggle to climb onto the bed.
Samantha Vicha, 23, from Columbus, Ohio, adopted 3-year-old golden retriever Pearl just two weeks ago—and before joining her new home, the dog had never been allowed on a bed.
Now, every night, the rescue dog “forgets” how to get up, creating a heartwarming nightly routine between the pair, and a video of it has received more than 236,000 views. In the viral clip on Instagram, Pearl was hesitating on the edge of the bed before eventually figuring out how to climb up.
“Seeing her get on the bed for the first time completely melted my heart,” Vicha told Newsweek. “She looked unsure at first, but once she realized it was soft and safe, she just sank into it. It was such a sweet moment. She sleeps so deeply now.”
Since then, Pearl has made the bed her favorite spot. “She loves it now and sleeps there every night,” Vicha said. “I can’t wake her up for anything. I wanted to show how special rescue moments can be and how quickly dogs can start to feel at home when they’re loved. It’s been so touching to see how many people were moved by her story. I’m so glad Pearl’s moment could bring a little joy to others too.”
Should You Share a Bed With Your Dog?
Sharing the bed with your pup is divisive, and while a 2023 YouGov survey found that 43 percent of people think dog owners should allow their pet to share the bed, some experts say that sharing the bed with your dog can disrupt your sleep cycle and increase your risk of contracting parasites such as fleas or ticks.
Despite this, there are benefits to sharing the bed with your pup. Veterinarian at online pet-product retailer Chewy, Laurie Hess, previously told Newsweek that sharing your bed with your dog may not only help socialize them, but also help improve their health.
“This is because one wants to share their bed with a dog whose skin is covered in parasites or whose coat is laden with dirt. Having your pup in your bed on a nightly basis would likely make an owner more attentive to keeping their fur child’s skin healthy,” Hess said.
Sharing the bed with your pet can also help ease their anxiety, and make them naturally calmer and happier around people.
The video of Pearl is not the first time that internet viewers have seen a rescue dog enjoy their first-ever time in a comfortable bed.
Foster dog Auggie melted hearts when, after being found wondering the park by herself, malnourished and nervous, she finally found a foster home that gave her the chance to enjoy a bed for the first time. In the video with more than 400,000 views, the moment melted hearts.
And Orion the dog left people in tears after he was saved from the verge of euthanasia. When he was given his own doggy bed at his foster home, he inspected the object, unsure what to think as he had never slept on one before—but a quick touch of the soft material calmed any fears.
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.