A video about the sad moment when no one showed up to a dog’s birthday party because he’s known to be “mean” has gone viral.
The clip, shared by Emily Beaver on TikTok with her @lovebeav account, showed her dad with the Shih Tzu named Wilson, each wearing their own festive party hats to celebrate the dog’s big day.
Unfortunately for the Shih Tzu, no one else showed up, and the video’s caption reads, “He doesn’t have any dog friends because he’s mean to every dog he meets.”
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Wilson may not have had any canine friends to celebrate with, but the family still managed to make it a party. Beaver also wrote alongside the video that “he really enjoyed his puppy cake.” While Wilson may not have had guests, it was still a birthday to remember.
Households are now starting to do more for their pets’ birthdays. The American Pet Products Association (APPA) released figures for 2022 showing that pet spending has continued to grow year over year, exceeding $123 billion in 2021.
APPA figures show that 2020 saw tremendous growth in the petcare industry as sales surpassed $100 billion for the first time, but the figures have steadily increased in the years since. Data shows that pet owners spent $50 billion on pet food and treats in 2021, a 13.6 percent increase from the previous year.
Certified dog trainer and founder of Dogby, Lindsey Fontana-Dreszer, narrates news week about the recent surge in spending as pet owners throw more lavish celebrations for their dog’s birthday. “There has been a trend over the past decade that more and more people are considering their dogs as family members and prioritizing their well-being.
“Millennials in particular are spending more on their pets than previous generations and are approaching pet ownership almost like parenthood. It makes sense that they would want to celebrate their dog’s birthday to give them a wonderful experience and to show their appreciation and love.”
Fontana-Dreszer shared some helpful tips for making any dog happy birthday: “When a dog’s birthday party is centered around their specific needs, it can be a great bonding moment. Strangers, crowds, loud noises, cramped spaces can be stress for many dogs. Enticing displays of food at parties can create competition and aggression toward other dogs.
“Giving your dog some gifts is another great way to celebrate his birthday. Use wrapping paper to wrap treats loosely and encourage your dog to shred the paper. Just make sure he doesn’t eat the paper!” added Fontana-Dreszer.
The video was posted on January 9th and has already garnered more than 870,000 views on TikTok. Despite calling Wilson “grumpy pants,” the Beaver family still managed to garner plenty of support for the birthday boy, as the TikTok video generated over 170,000 comments, mostly in support of Wilson.
One TikToker commented on the video, “Yes, we Shih Tzus tend to be like that,” and many others echoed this by writing that they had the same issue with their own Shih Tzus.
There were also many comments on the video, including the words “Happy Birthday Wilson”. Though local dogs didn’t show up to his party, the grumpy still has plenty of love out there from near and far.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet that you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
