Moment Adopted Rescue Dog Steps in New Forever Home: ‘Tail Just Kept Going’

Overcome with emotions, a newly adopted dog couldn’t believe the house he entered was all his own in a recent TikTok video.

The adopted dog was filmed by his owner walking into his forever home for the very first time. He calmly walked past the dining table with his tail wagging. But he didn’t make it much further before turning around to face his adopter in the March 1 TikTok clip, which was shared by user @_athenaa__.

He looked up at the camera with big hopeful eyes, appearing to confirm that this place was for him. It didn’t matter that the family assured him he belonged there; he was still stunned.

The caption reads: “I can only imagine how overwhelming that first day was for him.”

In the comment section, the owner said “his tail just kept going as he explored the house.” It was his way of showing how thankful he was to finally have a forever home.

The owner also mentioned that he was still healing when this video was taken, but that he is now glowing and strong. However, that transition didn’t happen overnight. The family knew to follow the 3-3-3 rule to give him the space to decompress.

Also referred to as the “Rule of Three,” it provides a timeline for pet parents to follow when welcoming home a new animal. The first three days can overwhelm fur babies as they get used to their families and new surroundings.

It will take about three weeks for your pet to feel more comfortable and settled in their new home. During this time, they start understanding a routine. After three months, pets will feel completely at home, gain a sense of security, and they likely have built trust and bonds with the family.

Newsweek reached out to @_athenaa__ via TikTok for additional comment.

Viewer Reactions

The precious TikTok clip had reached 988,900 views, 57,900 likes and 578 comments as of Monday.

“He’s gorgeous! Bless you for adopting him!” one comment reads.

Others shared their experiences of adoption: “I cleaned my whole house before bringing my dog home. I wanted to make a good first impression.”

Another added: “My adult rescue was so stressed the first night and fell asleep on me. I was too scared to move and slept the night in a chair,” to which the video creator responded: “Aw he was the same. It’s crazy that even though they were scared they trusted cuddling and being loved.”

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our “Pet of the Week” lineup.