A senior Australian shepherd named Guinness has melted the hearts of viewers on TikTok after a video showing him refusing to eat—seemingly out of fear—went viral, drawing hundreds of thousands of views and a flurry of amused reactions.
Shared to TikTok by the dog’s owner under @smellydog258, the brief clip has amassed more than 151,000 views and over 22,000 likes on the platform, with viewers left charmed by the pet’s unexpectedly emotional response.
Viewers were able to see Guinness sitting awkwardly in front of a full bowl of food, refusing even a sniff. An overlaid text on the clip explains the reason behind his obvious hesitation: “He ate a bug earlier; it was still alive and moving. It scared him so now he won’t eat anything.”
The caption—“he came running over for help with the bug”—added context to the moment, suggesting the normally confident canine was genuinely unsettled by the unexpected presence of the insect.
Rachel, Guinness’s owner, told Newsweek the attention reflects only one small moment in their long, shared history.
Rachel, who would prefer to keep her full identity private, adopted Guinness for $35 from a Humane Society as a teenager, and he has accompanied her through several major milestones including college and graduate school, and now her work in New York, where he serves as a therapy dog in a rural nursing home.
Rachel describes him as “smart, full of fun,” a companion who loves to swim and play fetch, and who remains a constant presence in her daily routine. Now 10, Guinness continues to be, in her words, “the best thing that has ever happened” to her.
“I look forward to many more years of fun and adventures together,” Rachel added.
Several viewers took to the comments section to share their amusement at the viral moment.
“I would also never eat again,” one viewer said, while another added: “He will eat again in two business days.”
“He’ll get hungry enough eventually and finally eat,” a third commented. “But he’s going to be weird about it for years to come. Enjoy.”
“They are just toddlers with fur,” one viewer said.
“The way he’s sitting there like ‘mom! Come check the food make sure it’s safe for me!'” another joked.
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