Dogs have a lot of different techniques to tell you they love you, from licking to cuddles to furious tail-wagging. But one English Mastiff called Lenny appears to have found yet another way of showing his affection. He likes to lie down with his paws curled inwards and pressed against each other so they make a heart shape.
A video showing the picture paw-fect pose was posted to the Lenny_and_Levon_mastiff TikTok account last week, with the pup’s owner joking in the caption: “Why is he like this?”
Little did they know the short clip would take off, gaining more than 220,000 views and 39,000 likes within just four days of going live.
Now, commenters are convinced the pup is popping his paws into a heart shape as a message to his owners. “He’s making a heart like humans do with their fingers,” one said, with another adding: “He’s making a heart to show he loves you.”
@lenny_and_levon_mastiff ♬ original sound - lenny_and_levon_mastiff
And, amazingly, Lenny doesn’t seem to be alone in his unusual (but adorable) behavior.
In the comments, several other Mastiff owners said their pets also like to lie with their paws turned inwards. Meanwhile, fellow proud pet-owners said their dogs would also assume this position, with a Great Pyrenees and a St Bernard among the breeds seen spreading the love.
Forming a heart shape is only one of the explanations provided by delighted viewers, however, with hundreds of people descending on the comments section to suggest possible reasons for Lenny’s flexible gesture.
Several said he was (as dogs so often are) relaxed and waiting for treats, while another joked he looked like he had sent a text and was patiently waiting for a reply.
Another person postured that he might be praying, and there were also suggestions he was placing his hands together like a plotting evil genius. But our favorite explanation was that a zen Lenny was partaking in a spot of yoga - we’re sure he has the downward facing dog down to a T.
Whatever the reason for his behavior, we’re big fans. And, judging by the success of the video, the general public are too. So, long may Lenny’s heart paws continue!
