Owner Films Grieving Dog Absolutely 'Broken' After Losing His Best Friend

In a viral TikTok video posted earlier this month, a dog owner shared footage of her dog's reaction to losing his best friend.

Cockerpoo Bobby and tiny hamster Barry were best friends, until Barry's recent death left the canine heartbroken.

"Bob has always taken to Barry and would sit and watch him play on his wheel for hours," owner Joanna Cox, from the United Kingdom, told Newsweek. "It took about a month to get Barry out and that's when I realized that Bobby was gentle around him. They were inseparable from that day."

Describing their interactions, Cox said that "Bobby would allow Barry to walk all over him" and that the pair "would often share treats together too."

But tragedy recently struck when Barry passed away, leaving Bobby and Cox herself heartbroken.

"Bobby cried so much when he saw Barry's little body. It was awful to watch," Cox said.

While it may seem unusual, there is scientific evidence that dogs do feel grief much like we do. A study published in 2022 from researchers at the University of Milan found that the loss of a loved one could have a profound impact on dogs.

For the study, over 400 Italian adults completed a "mourning dog questionnaire" after experiencing the loss of one of their dogs while the other was still alive. Results found that 86 percent of owners noticed behavior changes in the surviving dog, including eating less, sleeping more and being less interested in playing.

In the TikTok video, Cox revealed how sad it was to see her dog grieve for his best friend. In the 1-minute video, which has garnered over 365,000 views so far, she shared some of her favorite moments of Barry and Bobby spending time together.

"No one talks about when your pet loses their best friend. Bobby's just as broken as me," Cox wrote in the video.

Even in death, Barry is still receiving the love and commitment of his best friend.

"Bobby has not left the bag containing Barry's ashes alone," Cox told Newsweek. "He can smell Barry in the bag because we had footprints and fur clippings done."

Despite the heartbreak of losing Barry, Cox said she finds solace in the fact the pair had such a beautiful friendship, and was prompted to share it online.

"I've shared Bobby and Barry's relationship a few times on my TikTok, but for some reason, it's blown up this time," she said. "I'm just glad that people can see that animals, no matter what, can form a special bond."

Bobby and Barry's story isn't the first unlikely friendship to spark joy. Last week, a dog's adorable reaction to meeting a miniature highland calf gained viral attention, while a few years earlier a dog and dolphin were captured sharing a kiss in a heartwarming clip.

The story about Bobby and Barry touched people on TikTok, too, and in hundreds of comments people shared their reactions.

"This made me cry," one user commented, while another wrote: "Bless him, they loved each other."

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.