Most dog parents are familiar with the experience of being woken up by their pets. From enthusiastic barks to a cold nose pressed against their face, there are many ways our furry companions try to get our attention in the morning. One dog, however, has charmed the internet with a video showing her patient and polite approach to waking up her owner.
Owner shares video of their dog waiting to ‘wake’ them up
The video, shared by Instagram user @maggie__the_mutt_, shows Maggie patiently standing outside her owner’s bedroom door. Rather than barging in or barking to get attention, the dog waits for her owner to say “good morning” before entering the room. After receiving the verbal cue, Maggie happily jumps onto the bed to greet her owner. A text overlay on the video reads, “Every morning Maggie waits until I say good morning before ‘waking’ me up.”
In a TikTok version of the same video, the owner explained that Maggie started this routine after her sleep schedule changed due to working night shifts. This endearing behavior suggests the dog adjusted her actions to respect her owner’s rest, showcasing both awareness and a remarkable sense of boundaries.
Experts note that such behavior aligns with studies on how dogs can understand and respond to human speech. Research published in Current Biology in March 2024 revealed that dogs have the cognitive ability to associate words with objects or actions. Another study from PLOS ONE in 2014 found that dogs are attentive to human cues and can use them to make connections, though not all dogs exhibit this skill equally. This level of understanding could explain Maggie’s ability to recognize good morning as a signal to enter the room.
With over 2.5 million views, the video has also garnered 293K likes and 486 comments from users who couldn’t resist praising Maggie’s adorable and respectful nature. One commenter humorously wrote, “So polite. Mine does CPR if I don’t get up fast enough.” Another user chimed in, “How is that precious angel not with you in bed waking you up.” Others joked about their own pets’ morning habits, sharing stories of much more aggressive wake-up calls.
