Undoubtedly, most of us hate the sound of our alarm clocks and would prefer not to have them blasting in our ears each morning. But one woman has delighted the internet by revealing the adorable four-legged alarm clock that gets her out of bed each morning.
In a now viral TikTok video, Samantha Welborn (@sam_welborn) showed that it isn’t her phone or smartwatch that wakes her up, but her dad’s dog, Toby. Each morning, Toby the border collie comes to her window and tries to get her attention any way he can because he has important business to attend to—playtime.
Toby loves to come over and see Welborn’s blue heeler named Ellie and her Labrador called Leo, so of course he has to wake their owner up before he can come inside. Thankfully she doesn’t mind, as she called it “the best way to start the day.”
Internet users can’t get enough of Welborn’s unique alarm clock, and the adorable clip has gained more than 502,700 views and over 85,100 likes on TikTok so far.
The caption layered over the video reads: “POV: your alarm clock every morning is your dad’s dog coming over to your house to see if your dogs are ready to play.”
@sam_welborn / TikTok
It’s no secret that border collies are excellent working dogs who thrive when they have a job to perform. Indeed, there’s no distracting them while they’re working, but the American Kennel Club (AKC) explains that they’re happy to relax and unwind with their humans when the workday is over.
The breed is well known for being energetic and incredibly athletic, so they need an active lifestyle with plenty of daily exercise. Not only will it keep them fit and healthy, but it gives them an outlet for their intelligence too. They need something to keep them busy, whether it’s herding, agility, or obedience.
There’s a reason the AKC calls them workaholics, and it’s the key to their happiness.
So, while their ancestry might be in herding animals on farms, there’s no doubt that Toby has mastered the art of waking up the family so he can play with the other dogs. It might not be the job he was born to do, but he certainly excels at it each morning.
After Welborn shared the video of Toby at her window, social media users have lauded the diligent pup for his tireless work ethic and determination to play. At the time of writing, the viral video has amassed over 100 comments from delighted TikTok users.
One comment reads: “Toby’s playtime event starts at 8 a.m. sharp.”
Another person wrote: “MY HEART. Precious overload.”
“What a rousing morning game of bitey face,” joked another social media user.
While another person commented: “This could make anyone a morning person.”
Newsweek reached out to @sam_welborn via Instagram for comment, but did not receive a response.
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.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.