A puppy named Finnagen has stolen the hearts of the internet because of his unique breed.
His owner Erin Bracht, from Oregon, told Newsweek Finnagen is the result of an accidental litter. His mother is a 60-pound golden retriever and his dad is a 110-pound Bernese mountain dog.
On March 5, Bracht uploaded the popular clip that has 2.3 million views to her TikTok account @erinnoelle22. She added on-screen text asking other users if they had ever seen this mix before turning the camera to 16-week-old Finnagen.
Bracht told Newsweek: "He wasn't necessarily from a breeder or a rescue as he was from an accidental litter.
"His mom was a purebred golden retriever and his dad was a purebred Bernese mountain dog. We found out from the people we got him from who knew their dog's history.
"There are a few who are very upset by his mix and make a lot of wrong assumptions, unfortunately, but they are few and far between.
"We actually have two of the golden mountain dogs. They are both the sweetest, cuddliest, most gentle dogs. They love to hike and play but they're also fine laying on the couch all day. They're friendly to every person and every animal they meet as well as being great with children!"
'There Are Many Benefits to Crossing Two Breeds of Dog'
Most TikTok users think Finnagen is "adorable" but some aren't impressed with his breed. However, Dr. Anna Foreman, a U.K.-based veterinarian, told Newsweek that crossbreeding isn't always a bad thing.
"The crossbreeding dog is not a new phenomenon—for years breeders have been mating dogs with different characteristics (both physical and personality) to achieve puppies with the traits of the 'best of both worlds,'" said Foreman, who is an in-house vet for Everypaw Pet Insurance.
"There are many benefits to crossing two breeds of dog—generally a crossbreed is healthier than a purebred dog due to the larger gene pool their DNA is selected from. Some pure breed dogs have specific health concerns, for example, cavalier king Charles spaniels are prone to heart disease, specifically mitral valve disease, however by crossing them with a different, relatively healthy breed such as a poodle, there is less chance of offspring developing these breed specific issues."
Foreman advises against crossing breeds who already have specific health concerns as this may lead to less healthy offspring.
She said: "Crossing a pug and a French bulldog, two brachycephalic dogs, may actually enhance the likelihood of respiratory issues."
Foreman also added the mother should be the same size or larger than the father, she explained: "Mismatching of size can lead to problems when the dam is giving birth. If the father is larger, the puppies are more likely to be larger, meaning the mother may be less able to pass them through her pelvic (birth) canal. This can cause problems for both the mother and puppies, with fetal distress and even death occurring.
"Dams may need a caesarean section in extreme circumstances if unable to pass the puppies naturally—the anesthetic and stress of surgery are detrimental to all parties involved."
Over 1,600 TikTok users have commented on the viral clip, mostly to compliment Finnagen.
One user said: "Dream puppy."
Another said: "This is the CUTEST freakin' dog EVER! It should be illegal for a dog to be this precious! I'm completely melted over here!"
"Aw, what a cute lil muttly baby. I just wanna squish his cheeks," said another.
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.
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