Video of dog who briefly loses their parent in park before getting reunited goes viral

Golden retriever in park
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The fear you feel when you lose your dog even for a moment is one that many dog parents will know all too well. And, sometimes, the dogs can be worried, too, when they realize that their humans aren’t around.

Luckily, most dog parents are soon reunited with their pups after they lose them – and vice versa. If you’re at the park and you lose your pup while they’re off-leash, it might only take something as simple as getting out some of the best dog treats!

One dog in this position has gone viral on social media for their worried reaction after losing their dog parent, but you’ll be pleased to know that the dog soon found them and went on to enjoy the rest of their trip to the park. 

@sunnysideup_nocheese

♬ original sound - Pazuzu🐶&Sunny☀️

In the video, by TikTok user @sunnysideup_nocheese, a Coton de Tulear dog is playing happily in the park, with their tail wagging. But then, the dog realizes that they can’t see their owner, and you can see their demeanor change from happy and relaxed to scared and distressed.

Fortunately, however, the dog’s upset only lasts for a few seconds, as their parent comes back into view and calls out to the dog. The dog, now happy, runs back to their parent with their tail wagging, and puts their paw on them. 

The video has gone viral on TikTok, amassing over 1.6 million views and 160,000 likes. Many users commented, too, and were clearly touched by the dog’s reaction, commenting on their loyalty. 

One said, "I swear he was looking everywhere but at you, poor thing,” while another commented, "Ain't it crazy, sometimes you think dogs don't know anything, but then this happens … they know who we are!”

Indeed, our pups are pretty smart – here are 32 ways to spot if your dog’s smarter than you think! Meanwhile, here are 32 of the smartest dog breeds, if you’re wondering whether your pup is the most intelligent.   

Going to the park can help provide your dog with plenty of mental and physical stimulation, too. All dogs need exercise, and a trip to the park can help facilitate it – socializing with other dogs is good for mental stimulation, and activities like running and playing fetch will benefit your pup too (even if, maybe, you’re playing fetch with your dog all wrong)

After all, apart from the few seconds in which the dog in the video couldn’t find their parent, it looked as though they were having a great time! 

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Adam England
Freelance Writer

Adam is a freelance journalist covering pets, lifestyle, health and culture, and he has six years' experience in journalism. He was senior editor at DogTime.com, and has written for The Independent, GoodToKnow and Healthline

He's also spent the last few years studying towards undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in journalism. While a cat person at heart, he's often visiting his parents' golden retriever, and when he's not writing about everything pets he's probably drinking coffee, visiting a cat cafe, or listening to live music.