Dog Keeps Poking Head Into Neighbor’s Yard, Hearts Melt Over 1-Year Update

A dog owner has shared an update on how an ingenious solution to a nosy neighbor pup has played out over the past year.

The video begins with footage of Trapper, a golden retriever obsessed with poking his head under the fence separating him from his best friend—Fritz, the neighbor’s dog. Instead of getting frustrated, the two owners, from California, came up with a creative plan.

Rather than letting the dogs struggle to sneak peeks at each other, they decided to install a shared gate—allowing Trapper and Fritz to play together while freely roaming between both yards.

On Tuesday, user @fun_with_grump, a TikTok account dedicated to Trapper, posted a video showcasing the success of the shared gate. The clip quickly went viral, racking up 4.7 million views.

Newsweek has contacted @fun_with_grump for comment via TikTok. We could not verify the details of the case.

At the beginning of the clip, on-screen text says, “It’s been one year since my neighbor told me she couldn’t take my dog’s face under her fence anymore.” The footage then transitions to scenes of the gate being built and the long-awaited moment when the two dogs finally meet face-to-face.

The clip ends with screenshots of text messages exchanged between the owners, who let each other know when the gate was open.

The video has received more than 466,000 likes and 3,500 comments, with one viewer writing, “I hope y’all know you can never move.”

“After seeing all of the horribly unkind videos of neighbors hating on each other… this is so refreshing!!! Our world needs more of this kindness,” another said, while a commenter added: “Neighbors that get along. That’s unheard of. What a great idea.”

Getting along with a neighbor is rare in the United States, according to a 2022 LendingTree survey of more than 1,500 consumers. Almost three-quarters of respondents said they disliked at least one of their neighbors—so much so that more than one in 10 had moved because of it. The top reasons for neighborly dislike included giving off a “weird vibe,” being too loud and acting rude.

However, it isn’t all doom and gloom. The same survey found that 74 percent of respondents considered themselves friends with at least one neighbor.

According to the Pew Research Center, among Americans who were acquainted with at least some of their neighbors, 58 percent reported never gathering for parties or get-togethers. About 28 percent said they socialized with their neighbors less than once a month, while 14 percent did so monthly or more frequently.

For Trapper and Fritz, it appears being neighbors means being inseparable.

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.