Internet obsessed by the 'new' generation of grandchildren

TikTok users have been in hysterics at a viral video that depicts family dogs as being the new generation of "grandchildren."

The video, which was shared to the platform on November 5 by @marlin_harper, captured a pet owner's parent petting and cuddling a Labrador retriever. The video's creator had joked that the dogs' "grandma" should remember that the canine is sadly not a real grandchild. Viewers online have laughed along at the 7-second clip, with many leaving their funny takes on the viral moment in the comments.

TikTok users were able to see a woman petting and kissing the top of the chocolate Labrador's head, as if to say goodbye to them while they sat in the back seat of a car. An overlaid text on the video read: "The new generation of grandchildren." The video had been filmed in Connecticut.

"Should we tell grandma I'm not her actual grandchild?" The pet's owner said.

The 4-year-old Labrador, named Marlin, lives with their canine sibling, another Labrador retriever named Harper. Their owner has been sharing snippets of their lives on TikTok since Marlin, the eldest Labrador, was welcomed into their family. The chocolate Labrador's younger sibling was born in 2023.

The pair's recent viral clip has resonated widely with pet lovers on TikTok, with the video amassing more than 43,000 likes. The clip sparked a lively discussion around the importance of dogs in the comments section.

"Yep, that's me. My kids are 31 and 28 and I only have grand fur babies. But that's OK. It's their journey, not mine," one viewer, @.panda.jenn, said,

Another, @deniserussellblack, added: "I have three granddogs and a grand lizard. I've almost given up on grandkids."

"My granddog just came to live with me and he knows Grandma loves him the most," another, @weens465, said.

Another, @rescuefirst, added: "But granddogs ARE actual grandchildren!!!"

"I love my grand pups so much!! They always make me smile," another, @user_b92, added.

"Haha that's me. My daughter is choosing not to have children and her dog is the light of my life," another, @isisrising, said.

@l_anna1, added: "Doggie gramma's are the best!! My mom just went on vacation and when we would FaceTime she would always talk to the dogs, and brought home presents for them."

Newsweek reached out to @marlin_harper for more information via TikTok.

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