“Dogs can’t be babysitters,” reads the first title in this funny dog video. We see our golden star with his small child and then cut to her in the bounce house with the label “My dog.” What follows is a look at all the ways he watches her go about the life of an active toddler, always followed by her trusty companion. (Obviously, the pup pup is not truly babysitting as presumably the parent is the one filming.) In addition to being safe, she clearly adores the attention of her furry friend.

First, we watch the young girl in her bounce house while the goodest boy waits outside, making sure she doesn’t take a tumble. Then they take a turn on the swings as Fido pretends to push her along (though actually just follows behind, ensuring that she stays safely in place). Lastly, both baby and pup decide to hit the slides. He watches her go down one time to see how it’s done, then goes right up with her and runs down his slide while she glides down hers. It’s truly the perfect picture of two best friends.

Everyone praised the good dog in the comments, especially other golden owners who have had similar experiences. “Goldens can? My aunt’s golden retriever was my babysitter when I was a child,” mentioned Julia Śliwa. Another poster Becky observed, “The way he followed her to the stairs, made sure she didn’t fall and then waited for her at the end of the slide ?” He doesn’t ever let her out of his sight, that’s for sure.

Repzey said, “Dogs are the best babysitters? That girl will never be as safe as she is with that dog.” Finally, Eliza hit the nail on the head when she said: “The fact that he’s smiling the whole time?” It’s definitely the happiest video we’ve seen all week.

While not all dogs will be perfectly suited to this task, some animals are just born protectors. Certain breeds in particular, get the family-friendly label, especially goldens and labs, who will be more likely to take on the job. Though you’d be hard-pressed to find another pup who does it so well as this big guy.

The video starts with a clever four-legger watching Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 while sitting on his owner’s bed. It’s very clear that this movie is one of his favorites, and we’re about to see why. Our dog friend is enraptured by the film but becomes even more excited when Cosmo, the pup in the film, comes onto the screen. The text tells us to “Watch my dog realize who the real hero is…” In his excitement, the little bud runs up to the screen barking and wagging his tail — thrilled to see Cosmo the dog save the day. You can see the pure joy in the pooch while he jumps up and down to celebrate.

Commenters were thrilled and amazed to see how much fun the sweet pup was having watching his superhero. Dudeflamey summed it up best, saying, “It’s beyond cute that he was watching that intently to begin with, so the excitement at the doggy hero is the sweetest thing.” We couldn’t agree more. Sifulaw added: “Yeah! Representation matters! Cosmo for the win.”

Some recommended he try out a few other top movies. “So cute!!! You should put on New Moon and Eclipse and see if she battles vamps like mine!” suggested Rachel Hutchinson. Finally, the best post came from Ahsokatricia, who asked, “I wonder what [they] said! My dog’s ears shot up as soon as he heard the barking!”

Can dogs talk to each other by barking?

While we humans mostly associate speaking with communication, pups do things a bit differently. In fact, dogs use body language and pheromones much more than any type of verbal transmission to interact with one another, so you’ll see them size each other up and sniff in most instances. But we all know that barks and other sounds convey important messages as well. Barking does a much better job of getting across general ideas like warnings and greetings than specific notes, which require a more definitive language. So your animal might be telling another dog to get off his property, but he would struggle to say back away three paces. Still, when one pooch hears another start to bark, it seems that they can’t help but reply, even when it’s a superhero dog on the television.

The video is a snippet from a broadcast and is entitled “Guard dog or accomplice?” on TikTok. The newscasters explain that a $1,000 e-bike was stolen out of a garage, and we all get to witness the scene. A sweet pup goes right up to the presumed thief and demands pets and belly rubs. The bike thief happily obliges and looks a little confused, perhaps unsure if he should stick to his original plan after meeting such a delightful pooch.

Commenters immediately pointed out that this approach is classic golden retriever behavior, with one top poster, emily remarking, “Such a golden thing to do. My dog too.” Another, Annchris10, mentioned that they had a similar thing happen and explained, “We have the same experience like this. Our mountain bike was stolen and our golden was very welcoming of the thief!?”

Some even went so far as to give the robber a bit of credit, like Tabz, who said, “Shouldn’t have left the garage open, but love this guy, he was kind to the dog!?” It’s hard to be too mad after watching that sweet exchange. Finally, JoeGrine592 had a good theory: “The dog actually was the one who sold the bike… it wasn’t stolen… sold for belly rubs.” We’re here for that twist.

Why do golden retrievers make such bad guard dogs?

The reason is simple: Because they are so social, they don’t do well at distinguishing friends from foes. This is why they make great family pets — they put loving humans above all else. It’s also why they often work well as guide dogs and service animals. But while they can be protective and loyal, don’t expect the average golden pup to face off against an intruder. Getting the naturally happy-go-lucky breed to learn how to guard takes a lot of training from a young age, although it can be done. No matter what, a golden retriever shouldn’t be the go-to breed for this job and should stick to important tasks like jumping on their owners and licking people’s faces.

In this case, while the adorable retriever failed in his duty to watch out for the bike, he succeeded in giving us all the entertainment we needed. Perhaps he should get a sidekick with a few more guard dog tendencies for next time — maybe a German shepherd or chihuahua could help teach him a few things.

The video opens with a shot of a person throwing a football in a yard on the TV. The player tosses the ball, and it goes offscreen as we pan to a beloved dog watching it excitedly. He tries to follow the football, not realizing that it exists in a completely separate time and place. He looks back and forth, seeming to question his pet parent about the laws of physics, not understanding where the chaseable football went. It ends with the sound of his delighted person laughing in the background. The caption sums it up perfectly with: Huh? Mom, where’d it go?

The comments took the pup’s side and praised his smarts, with top poster Sam Smith saying, “Where’s the ball?” Oddwin2.0 mentions: This is actually a sign of intelligence. Even though it looks silly, this big guy definitely has a lot of brains in there.” Lastly, a few humans called out the hilarious ending with Elissa saying, “THE LOOK ?”

Why do dogs like to play fetch?

Part of what makes our canines such good companions is their love of games. Most dogs want to play with humans — in fact, it could be in their breeding. Research says that when we bred dogs to work alongside humans, we also got a beastie that wants to play with us, according to Forbes. Niclas Kolm, an evolutionary biologist researcher, posits, “It’s maybe easier to train a dog when they are very keen on playing with you.” Interestingly, that means certain breed groups play less than others — noticeably, Toy breeds play the least while Sporting dogs, like Labs, play the most. That definitely tracks.

So why is fetch the most classic human-canine pastime? We just mentioned that the retrievers seem particularly inclined toward play because of their breeding and, as the name suggests, their job is to fetch during the hunt. When there are no animals around that need grabbing, they chase balls instead. Many of the breeds have something else that they have been trained for and use these skills in various play, including fetch, puzzle treats, and performing tricks. No wonder Chihuahuas aren’t as inclined toward playtime — their favorite game is sitting around, exactly what they were bred to do. So next time your dog wants a game, but you’re too busy, perhaps you can just throw a game of football onto the TV instead.

Whether you’re taking in rescue tadpoles or planning to keep frogs as pets, you’ll have to adapt continually to their changing bodies. These amphibians undergo a metamorphosis and live as tadpoles for up to 14 weeks, though the last stage of the transition happens in just 24 hours.

You’ll put them to bed as a kid and come back to a teenager. Also, tadpoles are vegetarians, but frogs are carnivorous, so you should prepare for their diet to evolve as they do over the course of a few months. Here’s what to feed tadpoles.

What should you look into first

Be mindful that there are laws regulating amphibian ownership. You may need a permit to house these guys in your home in their child stage, adult stage, or both. Do your research fully to ensure you’re complying with local and state laws plus any regulations for your apartment or HOA.

Lastly, confirm with yourself and your family that you intend to commit for the long haul. Some frogs can live a decade, and you would have to keep them the whole time, plus the next generation, if you wind up with males and females.

How to care for tadpoles

Right off the bat, you need to make a couple of big decisions. Are you rescuing and releasing? Will your tadpoles live outdoors in a pond? Or do you intend to keep your animals when they become frogs?

While many tadpoles can live together when they hatch, an indoor tank will quickly become overcrowded with adult frogs. You’ll also need to update your tank’s decor as they morph. To start, tadpoles live entirely underwater and have gills like fish. In fact, most frog moms lay the eggs beneath the surface, so the entirety of the baby’s early life is spent submerged in your pool or tank.

As they begin the transition, everything about tadpole care changes. The key here is to look for those little back legs because that tells you the process has started and it’s time to think about making adjustments. Your froglet, an in-between stage in which they have both front and back legs but still have their tail, needs to spend some time out of water.

After the back legs have appeared, begin to add sticks and rocks or a small platform in anticipation of their lungs. Of course, their diet will need to adapt substantially as well. It can feel like every day they want something different to eat. Prepare for this by doing some meal prep as frog puberty sets in.

What to feed tadpoles

If you bring home eggs, you’ll be able to watch the entire frog-rearing cycle. Tiny tadpoles will hatch, and they’ll be extremely hungry. Luckily, their first food source is right there in the tank. They’ll eat their own eggs to start, which contain some vital nutrients that their little growing bodies need. Next, they will want to munch on veggies and pond plants. If you’re feeding them anything from the kitchen, make sure to boil it. We recommend you give them dinner every day or every other day.

As the tadpoles develop into adults, they become carnivorous and suddenly want to eat meat, mostly insects. When they’re about 6 weeks old, introduce a few bugs into mealtimes and see what happens. When you see fully formed front legs, it’s time to pause the feeding. It seems weird, but your blossoming frogs will actually eat their own tails (a little gross, but it works). When they finally emerge transformed, you’ll move entirely into frog foods. So, what can you feed your animals? Stick with these items.

Food for tadpoles:

• Algae
• Romaine lettuce
• Kale
• Cucumber (no seeds)
• Broccoli
• Carrot
• Commercial tadpole food

Food for frogs:

• Crickets
• Mealworms
• Grasshoppers
• Brine shrimp
• Bloodworms
• Commercial fish or frog food

What not to feed tadpoles

The smaller the tadpole, the more they need to rely on leafy greens and algae. As they develop, follow their cues to determine which snacks they’re ready for. However, you should stay away from some foods entirely because tadpoles can’t digest them.

• Never feed these amphibians commercial pet food made for another animal. Dog, cat, and even turtle kibble can be deadly for them.
• You also want to avoid sugary snacks like fruit or pumpkin, and always take out the seeds from any other squash you might give (small amounts of zucchini, for example, are OK). Unless it’s in the veggie drawer, it’s probably off-limits. Make sure all vegetables are fresh, too (no preservatives or butter allowed).
• Once they get to the bug-consuming stage, stick with feeder insects from the pet store. You don’t want to bring in any diseases from the backyard.
• Lastly, if your tadpoles don’t get enough calories, they may start to eat one another. You can separate them temporarily to get back to a healthy feeding schedule.

There are a few more things to keep in mind about your new tadpoles. First, mosquitoes love still aquariums and may use the water as a place to breed. If you keep your pets indoors, be mindful of insects. Change the water frequently to prevent pests and maintain your little guys’ health. After every feeding, remove any excess bits of lettuce or wafers (some ponds and tanks can handle growing algae, so leave that alone). Old food will rot and contaminate the enclosure. Check with a vet or specialist if you notice anything wrong with your new pets, like signs of disease or alarming digestive issues, especially after a change in sustenance.

By paying close attention to the signs of a dying hamster, you can be ready to step in as a pet parent and help them finish the end of their life well. Watch out for any of these symptoms, which should be accompanied by a visit to the vet, since they can have a few different causes.

Loss of appetite

Since you feed your hamster daily, you should notice quickly if they’ve cut back on eating. Pay particular attention if they turn their little nose up at treats that normally get gobbled down. While skipping snacks can certainly indicate that your hamster is nearing their last days, there are lots of other reasons they might miss meals, so don’t take this as an immediate indicator that they’ll soon be gone.

Slowing down

Most hamsters will play a lot — they’re known for riding that wheel all night. If you begin to see a precipitous decline in their activity level, it might mean old age has set in. Additionally, sometimes hamsters accidentally slip into hibernation if it gets too cold. While wild ones may need to do this yearly, your pet isn’t equipped to sleep for that long. Start by warming up their area to about 70 degrees Fahrenheit and contact their vet if they don’t wake up.

Health issues

You’ll want to monitor their hamster health every day and note anything concerning. A fever indicates that they might have an infection or other sickness. Rodents can also become dehydrated, which might show up as tightness or bunchiness in the skin. You can also usually tell when your hamster is coming down with something because they’ll become weak, tired, or sluggish.

Bathroom troubles

More specifically, diarrhea in hamsters can indicate a serious issue. Check when you clean the cage to ensure their digestion flows well. Sometimes your pet will experience vomiting or drooling, both of which mean you need to take action. Beware of wet tail, a deadly infection you can spot by checking the underside of their tail when handling your pet. If they have it, they’ll need to get to the vet right away to clear it up.

Skin problems

Your hamster will scratch occasionally, just like most mammals, but excessive picking can show you that something else is wrong. Look closely for spots, redness, or flaky skin when you examine him. A healthy animal will have a nice shiny coat. Take note if it goes dull or they lose patches of fur. In many cases, this could go away, but you’ll need to look into the underlying problem and soothe their skin with creams.

Cold symptoms

These pets often come down with the sniffles, and some of the signs look very familiar since they’re a lot like what you might experience when sick. A runny nose, watery eyes, and mucus are all indicators. A young hamster might easily recover from a cold, but an elderly pet may not get better.

Hiding too much

Most species of hamsters prefer to come out at night, so you don’t need to worry if they frequently hide during the day. However, a sudden change in behavior like hiding all the time could be a sign of a much larger issue such as acute stress, which can be deadly to your little pet. 

Is my hamster dying or just hibernating?

Even by paying close attention to the signs, nothing will quite prepare you for finding your hamster unresponsive. However, you need to take a better look because sometimes a still hamster is actually hibernating. So you should confirm that your little guy has passed. To do this, first gently stroke their fur and check for any reactive movement, especially a twitch in the whiskers. If your pet doesn’t react, next hold a spoon or mirror up to their tiny nose and look for the telltale signs of breath. Lastly, check the environment to make sure you haven’t accidentally created hibernation conditions and adjust as necessary. For example, if the cage area got really cold over night, turn up the heat and see if your hamster revived.

Generally, you can trust your instincts when it comes to your pet. Anything out of the ordinary might warrant a trip to the vet to figure out what’s wrong. In some cases, a little medicine or a change of environment takes care of it. But if your little pet is ready for the happy hamster grounds, you should focus on keeping them pain-free with medicine, warm with blankets, and comfortable with your presence.

The TikTok starts out with a pup laying in his crate with the text “Smart dog gets too hot so he adjusts the fan.” He easily pushes the door open and walks over to a fan previously off-screen. Fido jumps up and uses his paws to push the cooling device a little bit, thereby making sure the air blows directly on his little home. Of course, he returns to his crate, now with the cooling breeze, and closes the door behind him (like a little gentleman). That’s why the caption states: He understood the assignment. Comments agreed with Mr. O remarking, “Too cute.” It’s certainly one of the cutest — and cleverest — things we’ve seen in a while.

How to cool down a dog during summer

You have to be careful when the weather gets hot because it’s pretty easy for our canine friends to overheat. Many dogs live in areas of the world that are much warmer than what they were bred for: Think a husky who resides in the American South. That situation requires even more proactive care to ensure the four-legged members of the family stay comfy. There are a few things you can do to help your pup regulate his temp starting with a lot of cool water.

• Make sure he always has access to a big bowl of it and consider putting in a few ice cubes (lots of dogs love to chew on them anyway).
• Additionally, consider where your dog spends the hot days, both his location and his furniture. If you don’t have a cooling system in your home, you may want to give your pooch access to the basement or, yes, even a fan.
• Many dog beds will help them chill as well, especially if they are elevated or designed with cooling gel.
• Lastly, consider calling it a pool day and taking your beastie to a place where the both of you can get in the water.

Remember never leave your pet unattended outdoors on a hot day and don’t lock him alone in the car, even for just a minute. By taking a few of these measures, you can guarantee that your furry friend will make it through the dog days of summer.

What’s better than one pet rabbit? An entire litter of bunnies (as long as you’re prepared for them, of course). If you’ve been wondering, “Is my rabbit pregnant?” now is the time to find out for sure. After all, you don’t want to be caught unaware and suddenly have a whole new colony of animals in your hutch.

Sometimes, lady bunnies can take on the behaviors of expectant mamas, but it’s actually a false pregnancy. The best way to find out if your rabbit is pregnant is to take her to the vet and have them confirm it. However, when you’re figuring it out yourself, you should look for the signs that a rabbit is pregnant. If you spot these behaviors, be sure to call your animal doctor.

She’s recently been with an intact male

It’s certainly one of the most obvious pregnant rabbit signs, but the bunny gestation period is surprisingly short. The babies will remain in utero only for about a month before the mother gives birth, so if she hasn’t been near a mate in that time, she’s probably not pregnant. When you see pregnancy symptoms and she’s not carrying offspring, take her to the vet to find out what else might be the issue. If she is carrying a litter, your vet might do an ultrasound to check that everything’s going well. 

Your rabbit’s gaining weight

Just like with humans and other mammals, your little animal will get bigger when she’s expecting. However, it may be tricky to notice a difference with the naked eye. Take your doe’s weight before pregnancy (but after she’s reached sexual maturity) and weigh her each week after she’s been bred. She might gain only a few ounces, but a digital scale will track her increase. For consistency, always weigh her before feeding. If you discover she’s pregnant, increase her daily food intake, especially the alfalfa, as she needs more nutrients during this time.

You feel her babies

Surprisingly, you’ll be able to feel the tiny creatures on the way by stroking her belly. You’ll notice these pea-sized infants at around 10 days. Be careful with them, though, as pushing too hard can hurt the not-fully-formed bunnies. After two weeks, you shouldn’t try this at all, and a vet will always be your safest bet if you don’t have much experience handling pregnant rabbits.

Her mood changes

Your seemingly loving rabbit suddenly doesn’t like you. Did you do something wrong? Probably not. If she’s pregnant, she may become aggressive, even growling at you and her friends. Be extra careful around her during this time as moms sometimes bite and often don’t want to be handled. It’s best to give her space for now. She’ll be back to normal soon enough. While moodiness isn’t a clear sign on its own to prove that she’s bringing you little ones, coupled with other factors, it can indicate that her due date is approaching.

She starts nesting

One of the most obvious signs before a rabbit gives birth is nesting. The mom-to-be will begin to create her roost about a week before she gives birth, which can help you set a timeline if you weren’t quite sure when she conceived. Your rabbit will stack bedding into a corner or dig to make a small den. If there isn’t sufficient material to suit her, she might even rip out her own hair to enlarge the nest and make a blanket for her bunnies. This means that your new pets will be here any day now.

Give her plenty of hay to finish her building and a box to help her along. You’ll want to begin to monitor her for signs of labor at about 28 days, though 31 is typical. If it’s been more than 35 days, she needs to be induced by a specialist.

Can you touch a pregnant rabbit?

In addition to becoming aggressive, rabbits tend to shy away from others toward the end of their pregnancies. It might seem like a hard time to stay away, but mama bunnies know exactly how to do this on their own. Let her have space for her birth and then check on the newborns when she’s done. While you’re at it, try to give her a hutch to herself for the home stretch — she doesn’t want the company of her own kind either. The most important part is to reduce her stress (and temptation to turn mean) during this time. One option: Put up a camera in an out-of-the-way spot where it won’t bug her, but allows you to keep an eye on both mom and the babies.

When you finally do enter the mother’s house, you could find up to 15 babies, as rabbit litters can be quite large. We hope all the babies make it, but you should remove any kits that don’t survive. Then retreat while she nurses and bonds with her new family. Keep her away from mates for a while so you don’t have too many little guys at once, and spay or neuter when you’re ready to stop breeding. 

It opens with a tiny gray kitten putting her little paws up to an equally tiny water fountain. She spends some seconds examining it before diving in to attempt a drink only to be surprised by the splashiness. So kitten takes a different approach: standing up on the edges of the fountain to get at the water from the top. Kitty gets in a few licks until her paw winds up in the water — needless to say, the little fuzzball does not like that. The video ends with the gray cat shaking off her now slightly damp paws and giving up (we suspect she has a real water dish somewhere else).

Nearly every commenter had the same thing to say: Adorable. It’s truly unanimous on this one. ann!!! added, “It looks confused,” while Josh remarked, “He’s got his own infinite supply of water.” Still ☆Technik Inf☆ probably summed it up best with “awwwwww.” Truer words have never been spoken.

How much water should cats drink?

As an adult, your feline should be drinking water pretty consistently, if they’re eating dry food. The recommended amount is about an ounce of water for every half of an ounce of food. But wet food means they’re getting some of the liquid with their meal, and you’ll see a cat eating that go for the water bowl less frequently. Altogether, the right amount of water for cats is 1/2 cup of water per five pounds every day. For kittens who don’t even yet weigh five pounds, you’ll see them drink up to about half a cup, depending on age, size, and climate (the warmer the weather, the more they have to drink). If your animal does seem dehydrated, you should check in with your vet as this can be a symptom of bigger issues.

So should you give your kitty running water? Many cats prefer it since it’s similar to drinking from a stream, but you might have to teach them how to go about it. One option is to try out both a bowl and a cat water fountain to see which your individual cat prefers and then stick with that. Perhaps you’ll get an adorable video in the process.