Hearts are breaking over a canine’s attempt to make her part-time dog walker stay longer than she planned.
TikTok user @helen.carlette arrived at her client’s house to perform her usual duty—walk dogs. She recently started dog walking as a part-time job and was hired to a particular home for a three-day assignment. She never met these dogs before, but within one day, they became attached to her.
After finishing walking the dogs and letting them take care of business one day, she tried leaving, but one canine had other plans. In her March 15 video, the canine parked herself in front of the door, blocking Helen from being able to open it. The poor pup didn’t want her to go. Helen realized she was being “held hostage” by the dog.
The dog looked up with begging eyes, hopeful her sitting there would be enough to keep her. But, to drive her message home, the dog then laid down. She cried as Helen explained she would be back to walk her again. It wasn’t enough. The dog wanted her new friend to stay forever.
The caption reads: “Not me arguing with her. I walked her one time and now she’s overly attached!”
Newsweek reached out to @helen.carlette via TikTok for additional comment.

@helen.carlette/TikTok
Viewer Reactions
The gut-wrenching TikTok video reached over 575,400 views, 212,000 likes and 1,350 comments as of Monday. People felt a mix of emotions, as viewers were touched by the dog’s determination to make her stay.
“This is straight-up emotional blackmail,” wrote one viewer, while a second said: “You’re her ‘cool aunt.'”
Another added: “Lol she said she sick of ppl leaving this house without her.”
Someone else offered a solution: “You gotta take her with you. Just for a little bit!”
Dogs Sitting by Doors
While it was obvious in the video why this dog stayed in front of the door, the spot can be a common place for canines to sit. But what is with the fascination? A vet-approved article from Dogster explained several theories as to why dogs love sitting by doors.
As natural protectors, dogs might decide to sit by doors to guard the house and family from possible intruders. Dogs are also curious and front doors are a gateway to the outside world. Depending on the door, they might be able to see what is happening outside or a slight breeze under the doorway will be filled with scents, a stimulating activity for them.
Perhaps your dog does this after you leave. If this is the case, they could be experiencing separation anxiety. They might also do this before you leave as they see you gathering your keys and putting on your shoes.
Dogs might sit by the door to signal to their owners they want to go outside, whether for a walk or a bathroom break. It could also be a sign they are bored. They are explaining they want more activity or mental and physical stimulation.
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.