German Shepherd Wakes Up Holding Mom's Hand With Eyes Full Of Love
There's nothing quite like the unconditional love of a pet, especially first thing in the morning. Need evidence? Look no further than a sweet German shepherd named Maja. In an adorable TikTok video captioned "the best way to wake up🫶" — which has been watched more than 5.7 million times and racked up over 402,000 likes — the GSD stares intently at her owner while lying in bed, putting her paw on her person's hand and sighing dramatically at one point. "Waking up with a German Shepherd" is overlaid on the video.
@nosybeau the best way to wake up🫶 #fyp #dogsoftiktok #gsd #germanshepherd #dog
"They make it soooooo hard to want to get up," observed one viewer, and another stated, "I know that feeling when waking up and having two eyes staring at you😂😂😂." One netizen made it clear how precious such morning moments truly are, writing, "Cherish it. Give [her] a huge hug and kiss right now. Because one day... they won't be there in the morning and 3 years later... You will still feel the silence in the room ðŸ˜."
Should dogs and their owners ever share a bed?
"Absolutely the very best way to wake up 💚💚💚," wrote one viewer of the TikTok video, but another countered with, "That's not possible over here. Big dude is almost as big as my bed... And snores! Where the heck would I sleep?!" Indeed, there is an ongoing debate amongst pet parents, with many owners wondering, "Should I let my dog sleep in my bed with me?"
In the "pros" column: stress relief, a feeling of security, and a strengthening of the bond between owner and pet. Plus, cuddling a warm and cozy animal is especially appealing during the colder months of the year. In the "cons" column: sleep disturbances due to factors such as the pet snoring or twitching, a potential worsening of allergies or asthma, and the possibility of fleas, ticks, germs, or dirt catching a ride on the animal's fur. If your dog already has issues with resource guarding, sharing your bed can worsen the problem.
After weighing the pros and cons, if you decide to train your dog to sleep with you, the process is usually as simple as placing the pooch's favorite blanket on top of your bed — though you may find your dog prefers to burrow under the covers instead. Want to see more sweet dogs like Maja who have a fun ritual to greet each new day? Check out this golden retriever puppy who joins his big brother for morning "wake-ups."