Boston Terrier Attempts To Make Friends At The Park But Quickly Says 'Never Mind'

Some dogs are gregarious creatures who quickly befriend every other dog they encounter, making new BFFs wherever they go. Then, there's Cualli the Boston terrier. In a TikTok video captioned "Cualli's first time at the park being a little awkward 😬" — which has been viewed more than 6.6 million times and racked up over 1.3 million likes — Cualli trotted toward two people and two dogs. As soon as the other dogs showed some interest, she turned and immediately ran back toward her owner, looking a bit freaked out.

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cualli's first time at the park being a little awkward 😬 #bostonterrier

♬ original sound – Raven Felix

Netizens tried to channel Cualli's thoughts in the moment. "THIS WAS A MISTAKE! THIS WAS A MISTAKE!" exclaimed one, and another wrote, "That's enough socializing for the day." One person suggested the doggo was thinking, "Tried to make friends and now... I'm done," to which Cualli's owner responded, "She was like yah nevermind!"

Cuteness spoke exclusively to Russell Hartstein, a certified dog behaviorist who offers dog training services in Los Angeles, and asked how common it is for dogs to get scared in social settings like this. "Dogs are social, gregarious animals; however, they are [dyadic] in nature and do best in one-on-one scenarios with other pets. Not in group settings or traditional dog daycares or dog boarding facilities," he explained. "Large social settings and especially fenced-in dog parks are not ideal for most dogs."

Russell Hartstein, speaking exclusively with Cuteness, advised against bringing pets to dog parks for socialization. "Fenced-in dog parks are unhealthy from a biological and behavioral standpoint," he said. "Dog parks generally set dogs up for failure and create many more health problems down the road."

Instead, Hartstein recommended pairing up two dogs with the same play style and energy level and encouraging a friendship to form between them by letting them run around together in an open area. "If you're concerned that your dog will run away, simply attach a long leash to your dog, 15 feet or longer, so you can easily catch up to it," he said. It's also important for the prospective pooch pals to be similarly sized. "While small dogs may like larger dogs and vice versa, many small dogs end up getting injured because of the size difference."

If you're a fan of Boston terriers like Cualli — they're one of the best-behaved dog breeds, and also one of the most popular terriers — then you should also check out Miss Presley, a Boston terrier who gets caught lounging in Mom's bed like the true "diva" she is.