From senior, smiley dogs holding onto adoption hope to a pet parent finding her cat hiding in the most unlikely spots, this week’s headlines and viral videos struck a chord with viewers.
But they aren’t the only animals catching our attention. Our Newsweek readers’ pets know how to bring out the laughter, as well as the “Aww” moments. Take a look at this week’s “Pet of the Week.”
Think your pet deserves a shoutout? Follow the instructions at the end of this article on how to submit your furry friend to be considered for an upcoming “Pet of the Week” honor.
Winner
This week’s winner is from Debbie Pohlmann and her dog, Angel. Pohlmann told Newsweek her shih-poo dog, a mix between a shih tzu and toy poodle, loves to play. However, her style of playing looks a bit different.
In the video, Angel held the dog leash in her mouth and prepared for a game of tug-of-war. Angel does not pull back on the leash, as a dog typically would in this game. She instead curls her front paws downward and slides across the carpet. This is a game with a twist. It is a style all her own, Pohlmann said.
“She will not get up until she has been pulled as far as she wants,” Pohlmann said.
Finalists
Our first finalist for this week is Frank Fanizzi’s best friend, Juno. Fanizzi said he welcomed home Juno after both of his parents died in 2022, and Juno quickly stepped into the role of an emotional support dog, despite being only 5 weeks old at the time.
Now nearing 3 years old, Juno weighs about 12 pounds. But this tiny dog is a titanic force for his loving owner.
“He has helped me through some difficult times,” Fanizzi said. “He is such a baby, though. He loves his daddy’s attention, loves to fetch ALL the time … He is my joy in life.”
Next up is Bentley, the 2 1/2-year-old Morkie, which is a cross between a Maltese and Yorkshire terrier. The owner, Mildred Pulley, told Newsweek that Bentley loves to play hide-and-seek, squeezing his way into the smallest of places. She recently found him inside an empty box of tea.
“I had returned from grocery shopping, and of course, my sweet furbaby was checking out what surprises I had got for him,” she said. “I had taken out the drinks from the carton, and I turned around for just a minute, and this is what I see. He had somehow put himself in the carton and seemed very happy about his accomplishment.”
The picture shows Bentley proudly in his box. This behavior is common in Pulley’s household. She said because he loves hiding, you can never sit down without checking if he is under the cushions or pillows.
Last, but not least, Bridget Abernathy shared the story of how her pets learned the house dynamic on their own.
Her cat, Ella, who has since passed, was not interested in becoming friends with her adopted shepherd and pit mix, Aurora. Aurora knew to keep her distance. But when Abernathy welcomed home another cat, Samantha, Ella once again made it clear she did not want to be friends. But that did not sit right with Aurora.
” … Aurora decided to tell Ella that she needed to be nice to Samantha!” the owner said. “When Ella got snippy, Aurora got between them, VERY unlike her, and put Ella in her place!”
Those interactions bonded Aurora and Samantha and they are now best buddies. Every day, Samantha will approach Aurora, licking her ears and rubbing her face against hers. But Abernathy laughs as she sometimes finds the cat taking over Aurora’s giant bed, while the dog sleeps on the floor.
If you think your pet could be next week’s Newsweek “Pet of the Week,” send us your funny and heartwarming videos and pictures of your pet, along with a bit about them, to life@newsweek.com, and they could appear in our “Pet of the Week” lineup.
