In a viral video, a dog owner got her dachshund his own look alike dog so he wouldn’t just sit and stare at them all day—nobody was prepared for what happened next.
The heartwarming Instagram clip, shared on Wednesday by @marlo.and.atlas, starts with the pup, Marlo, lying on the bed, staring at his owner going about her day. Because of this behavior, she gets him a new dog as a distraction—but it doesn’t go as planned.
The second part of the video shows Marlo and his new sibling both lying on the bed staring at their owner together, instead of keeping each other entertained.
“When you got your dog a dog because he always stared at your and you thought he was bored…but now you have two dogs that stare at you,” reads layover text in the clip.
The caption adds: “We thought Marlo was lonely because he was always so focused on us. Always nearby, always watching, always wanting to be part of everything. So we decided to give him a best friend, someone to share life with and never feel alone.
“Now we have two dachshunds with the same complete focus, the same love, and the same desire to be wherever we are,” it reads.
“It might not have worked out exactly how we planned, but watching them grow into best friends has been one of the sweetest things. Love really does multiply. And honestly, we’re just as obsessed with them as they are with us.”
Pet MD explains that dogs stare at their owners for a variety of practical and emotional reasons. Many use eye contact to get attention or communicate needs, such as wanting food, going outside, or initiating play.
Staring can also reflect affection, especially when a dog feels bonded and wants to stay connected. In some cases, anxious canines watch their owners closely out of worry about being left alone.
However, a hard, fixed stare can signal discomfort or aggression, often when a dog feels threatened, trapped, or protective over resources.
Canines also observe their owners to gather information, reading body language, moods, and routines to anticipate what might happen next—like meals, walks, or commands.
This behavior stems from how attuned dogs are to human cues, making eye contact an important part of communication for them. Paying attention to context and body language helps determine what a dog’s stare is trying to express.
Instagram embed will be rendered here
The video quickly went viral on social media and has so far received over 195,000 views and more than 17,700 likes on the platform.
One user, Baldersbiglife, commented: “Maybe they’re trying to tell you to buy another dog. Then it will be triple fun and love.”
Scale_modelling164 wrote: “So what do you do for fun around here…I dunno stare awkwardly at the hoomans that’s kinda fun.”
Ccazma added: “Absolutely [100 percent] true. We even got a third and same thing happened!”
Newsweek reached out to @marlo.and.atlas for comment via Instagram. We could not verify the details of the case.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet 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.