Hysterics as Woman Tries 'Gentle Parenting' Her Husky Throwing a Tantrum

Footage of a dog owner's attempts at "gentle parenting" in the face of her Husky throwing a tantrum has left viewers in hysterics.

There are some surprising similarities between dogs and young children. Psychologist and leading canine researcher Stanley Coren, for example, told the American Psychological Association that the average dog boasts mental capabilities close to those of a 2-year-old child.

Some dog owners even consider their four-legged friends to be their kids. A survey of 2,000 pet owners conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Pet Honesty saw one in four respondents say they often refer to their pet as their "child."

It's therefore perhaps not surprising to see some dog owners apply the kind of treatment usually reserved to those parenting a young child to their pet pooch.

One such example was shared to TikTok under the handle nikkoboy_huskamute and captures the efforts of a woman trying to deal with her Husky, Nikko Boy, having a tantrum in their backyard. Watch it here.

In the clip, she can be heard speaking directly to her dog about his behavior. "Why do I pay for day care for you, for you to just come home and throw tantrums?"

Nikko can be heard moaning as she continues to question him. "How have you energy left to throw tantrums?" she asks, with Nikko responding with yet more moaning.

Things turn from bad to worse as Nikko begins making several attempts to dig up the garden while his owner watches on, voicing her disapproval as she does so. "Stop, Nikko, stop" she says, with Nikko eventually acquiescing to her demands.

During a brief moment of respite, with Nikko lying on the grass, she asks: "Are you ready to come in?" His response is to begin howling: the answer is evidently no. He resumes his digging attempts with his owner once again pleading: "Can we not wake up the dead?"

He eventually stops again, with his owner suggesting: "Why don't you come in and have some dinner?" That just prompts more howling with Nikko's owner increasingly resigned to the fact she's not going to get him to do what she wants.

"It's a really good thing that I love you," she laments. "Because you're a butthead." She tells him "I love you" a couple more times before the clip ends with Nikko seemingly a little calmer but not necessarily any closer to doing what his owner wants.

"Mom wasn't doing good at gentle parenting tonight," his owner admitted in the caption accompanying the video, which has been watched 3.2 million times. But while many were left amused at what unfolded, there was a degree of sympathy for the dog owner from those familiar with the demands having a Husky brings.
"Huskies are not for the weak," one user wrote. Another agreed, commenting: "Everyone that wants a Husky should have to babysit one for a week." A third said: "I love Huskies but I don't think I could handle one."

Elsewhere, one viewer commented: "When my dog acts this way after day care, it usually means she's a toddler who is overtired and needs a nap." Another saw similarities between the dog's behavior and that of a small child, writing: "Nikko is just like my 2-year-old daughter I think they would be best friends."

Newsweek has reached out to nikkoboy_huskamute for comment.

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