Watch Shelter Dogs' Reactions As They Choose Their Own Christmas Toys

Christmas has certainly come early for these shelter dogs, who have an abundance of toys to choose from.

With 264 dogs to care for over the holiday season, Dogs Trust Ireland has gone above and beyond to ensure their furry residents have a merry Christmas.

Corina Fitzsimons, the trust's public relations and communications manager, spoke to Newsweek about the adorable footage, which shows the pooches selecting a toy.

She said: "We recorded 54 dogs as some can take up to 20 minutes to choose a toy (it's a big decision), but every dog in our care gets at least one toy."

The tradition began back in 2017 when the staff played Secret Santa for the dogs. The following year they asked for toy donations from the general public and allowed the dogs to pick their own.

Fitzsimons told Newsweek: "This year we had hundreds of toys donated, and some were even sent from the U.S. I'm not sure who gets more excited about the toys, us opening the post and deliveries or the dogs on the day they choose them.

"This is the fifth year of us making this video and every year, despite the same set up, it's different and really highlights how all dogs are individuals with their own very own set of preferences.

"The reason we love making the video so much is that it's so special to witness each dog's individual reaction. Some burst in the door and scatter toys everywhere in an excited frenzy and when they choose 'the' toy, they do excited zoomies.

"For dog lovers, it doesn't get much better than seeing dogs doing zoomies! Others prefer people and after a sniff will come over for cuddles. Then there are those who test every toy three or four times before picking, and many of the Collies who find a plain ball, throw it at our feet and look at us as if to say 'please throw human,' which we are happy to oblige with."

The Department of Rural and Community Development's most recent Irish Dog Control Statistics revealed a 95 percent increase in stray dogs entering pounds, from 2,592 the previous year to 5,045 in 2022. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 6.3 million pets are surrendered to US shelters each year, an average of 17,260 per day.

Newsweek has shared many stories about dogs longing for a place to call home, and some have to wait longer than others.

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.