Rescue Dog Pretends to Be Asleep to Avoid Going Outside in Hilarious Clip

We love our dogs for their unique personalities and funny quirks, and TikTok is full of owners showcasing and celebrating their pet's individual mannerisms.

One such dog is Sonny the rescue pup, who has an interesting technique for getting out of "going outside for his last peepee."

In a video posted to the TikTok account @ourpupsonny, which has received over 1.3 million views, Sonny can be seen "pretending" to be asleep on his owners' bed while they try to wake him to go outside before turning in for the night.

At one point, Sonny reveals he's not actually asleep, giving his owners a cheeky side-eye glare while they laugh.

"Yes, we let him sleep," reads the caption.

Each year, 6.3 million pets are surrendered to U.S. shelters, an average of 17,260 a day, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The number of dogs and cats taken in by pet shelters hit 46,807 during January 2023, an increase of 1,744 compared with January 2022, 24Petwatch's "Shelter Watch Report" found.

Around 920,000 surrendered animals are euthanized every year. Shelters are striving to minimize euthanasia rates by promoting adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs and behavior rehabilitation.

Newsweek has reached out to @ourpupsonny via email for comment.

While Sonny might sometimes pretend to be sleeping, how dogs sleep and what they do in their sleep can reveal certain things about them.

Lots of puppies suck on their toys or blankets for comfort, a behavior that can continue throughout adulthood. But is it something to worry about in adult dogs?

"Puppies who look to blankets for comfort and security don't usually outgrow the habit, and they continue doing it throughout their lives," says the American Kennel Club's (AKC) website.

The AKC went on: "Animal behaviorists believe that some dogs that go on to suck on blankets and other objects as adults were deprived of the opportunity to experience enough comfort suckling when they were puppies. The mother dog may not have welcomed them to continue nursing, may have been unwell, or the pup may have been separated from the litter very early and fed from a bottle by a human."

The AKC says that occasional blanket sucking is nothing to be worried about and does not count as obsessive-compulsive behavior unless your dog does it "to the exclusion of other activities for hours on end."

One behavior that could be harmful to your dog is called flank sucking and is almost exclusive to Dobermans because of a genetic marker. Dogs will suck on their own flanks instead of a soft toy or a blanket, according to the AKC.

"Dogs that don't suck on their flanks, but instead on blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, and other soft objects are doing it not to be destructive, but as a relaxation mechanism," said Jerry Klein, AKC chief veterinary officer, in an article on the site, "They can be perfectly healthy dogs who find that the sucking and licking provides comfort by releasing endorphins."

Users on TikTok loved the sweet video.

"So smart! My dog goes belly up and growls like all 4 legs are broken," said one commentator.

"My dog will do this but forgets to close her eyes and will just snore and be limp," said another.

"The side eye: no matter what you say or do, I'm not moving!" wrote a third.

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.