Husky Enjoys First Date With 'Girlfriend' Dog He Met Through Fence

A rescue husky enjoyed a first date to remember with the new dog girlfriend he met through a fence while out on a walk.

Scientists remain firmly on the fence when it comes to the debate over whether dogs are capable of experiencing complex emotions like love. However, there is evidence to suggest our canine friends experience some form of chemical reaction when they encounter someone familiar to them like an owner.

A 2015 study published in the journal Behavioral Processes saw a group of 12, awake, unrestrained dogs undergo an fMRI scan while being presented with five different scents in turn: familiar human, stranger, familiar dog, strange dog, self.

Interestingly, the smell of the "familiar human" was the only one to activate a strong response in the caudate nucleus, an area of the brain associated with positive expectations. On some level then, it could be argued that dogs truly do love their humans.

Levi the husky has more reason than most to love his human, Chloe Ellies from Barrie, Ontario. "I saw a Facebook post saying Levi needed a foster home as he was landing in Toronto from Iran, so I volunteered," she told Newsweek. "Two days later I adopted him."

Levi had a rough start to life in Canada though and it was only through the kindness of strangers that he was able to pull through. "He was very sick, we almost lost him," Ellies said. "But strangers rallied and donated thousands to his GoFundMe and today he's a healthy, happy, amazingly loving dog."

Ellies might be Levi's number one, but his friends are definitely a close second. "His favorite thing to do is play with friends," Ellies said. "I set up playdates for him most weekends—but when we can't, he loves walkies. So many walkies. Especially in the snow. He loves the snow."

All of which made things a little difficult when Ellies moved to Barrie with Levi a few months back. "Previously Levi had lots of friends at home," she explained. "We had a corner lot that backed into the dog walking trail, so he'd sit by the fence and see his friends all day. Once we got to Barrie he had no friends!"

But everything changed for Levi while out walking with Ellies one day. That was the day he met a dog called Ellie at the fence to her yard. Though some might say otherwise, it felt like love at first sight.

"After he met her once, every day when we went for a walk he would literally pull me all the way to her house to see if she was outside," Ellies said. "He walks right up to her fence to give it a thorough check to see if she's there. Most days she isn't but on the days she is, they both go crazy. They run back and forth barking and crying.

A couple of days ago, Levi and Ellie took their relationship to the next level when Ellie's owner invited Levi over to their yard for what was essentially their first date.

It involved some zoomies, a bit of sniffing and a whole lot of playing together with the two dogs inseparable throughout. Ellies isn't surprised at how quickly things have moved. "We've always called her his girlfriend because he's obsessed with seeing her," she said.

Whether their relationship stays the course or they just end up being really good friends, Ellies is just happy to see her rescue husky, who doesn't have any siblings, spending time with other dogs.

"Nothing lights him up inside like running around with another dog. Levi is very much a pack dog too, it's innate in him as a husky," she said. "I feel so guilty if a week goes by where he hasn't seen another dog. It doesn't happen often but we only have one dog so it's really important he has social interactions, just like humans need it."

With Ellie the dog proving something of a kindred canine spirit to Levi, this looks like being the first of many dog dates to come.

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.