Dog Rings His Neighbor's Doorbell Every Day To See If His Best Dog Friend Can Come Out And Play
Dogs aren't just man's best friend — they're each others' too.
Orbon Alija / Getty Images Signature / Canva Pro We all know dogs are called "man's best friend," but friendships between dogs themselves are just the stuff of cartoons, right?
One viral video would seem to suggest otherwise, and it turns out that research on the subject agrees. Your dog is actually capable of having a dog best friend.
The video shows a dog who rings his neighbor's doorbell each day to see his dog best friend.
One of the benefits of video doorbells is hilarious and heartwarming videos like this one, in which a German shepherd comes bounding across his neighbor's front yard and leaps up onto their porch to ring their doorbell with his paw.
As if that weren't already cuteness overload, the doggo then boops the doorbell with his nose, too, just to make absolutely sure his social call is answered expeditiously.
"The neighbor's dog always rings the doorbell to see if his best friend is home," the video's onscreen caption reads, and that is the point, of course, when everyone bursts into joyful tears.
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"If a doggy rang my doorbell, we are friends for life," one commenter wrote. "Can we see this again, but when his best friend can come to the door?" another asked.
Of course, several commenters said they were immediately going down a rabbit hole, searching for other videos of dogs ringing doorbells — of which there are seemingly thousands (thank goodness!) — like one who got tired of doggy daycare, ran home, and rang the doorbell because he'd had enough. What a good boy!
But is there anything actually to this? Do dogs actually make friends with each other? Well, if you've spent any amount of time with dogs, it likely won't surprise you to hear that the answer is yes.
Vets say dogs do indeed befriend each other and often form bonds just as strong as they do with their humans.
Many species of animals do this, in fact, and according to vets, dogs' behavior often mirrors that of other non-domesticated species who are social, mate for life, and also maintain friendships with other non-mate animals in the wild.
The function of this is at least partially similar to what humans use friends for. They help animals maintain lower stress levels and offer safety and comfort while living communally.
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So, how do dogs choose their dog best friends? It often comes down to commonalities, especially their play style. If they're a rambunctious type, they'll gravitate to more active dogs to form companionships with, just like we often form friendships based on common interests.
When they're in large groups of dogs, like, say, at a doggie daycare, you can usually tell which pupper is their dog best friend by scoping out the dog they are willing to share things like toys, their bed, water bowl, and even just their space in general. Dogs will also befriend other species, too, like cats or other pets in the home they live in.
Interestingly, though, dog friendships appear to be only a domestic situation, not in the wild. Wolves, for example, form alliances with one another, but they are more like co-workers than friends. It's a resource and survival-based relationship that tends to be hierarchical rather than one simply based on affection.
Dogs, on the other hand, have been bred to be communal. And unless they receive signals of aggression, a socialized dog will likely try to befriend any animal of any species that lets them.
Dog friendships also have similar health benefits to human friendships, including extending dogs' lives.
A 2023 study by the Dog Aging Project looked at more than 21,000 dogs and found that dog friendships aren't just fun and games — they actually have health benefits.
Dogs who shared households with another dog or any other pet they formed a bond with were shown to be "significantly healthier" and have fewer disease diagnoses than dogs who live only with humans.
Their animal friendships were five times more impactful on their health than other factors like whether they lived in a stable neighborhood, lived with elderly owners, or in a house with children.
So there you have it: If the pupper next door comes ringing your doorbell for his doggo bestie, you better open that dang door! Our furry friends just might need each other as much as they need us.
John Sundholm is a news and entertainment writer who covers pop culture, social justice, and human interest topics.