Labrador's Cute Way of Reminding Parents He's 'Still the Baby' Is Just Precious

Bringing home a new baby comes with many changes. And if you're already a pet parent, you have double the changes to adjust to. For Ruger the Labrador Retriever, the new baby isn't exactly what he wanted. So, he's taking matters into his own paws until his parents remember he's the original baby of the family.

The recent video posted on TikTok by @goldiefowler17 shows the Lab reclaiming his spot as the only child, and it's too funny. Take a look!

In the short clip that says, "POV: your dog is not an only child anymore and the jealousy shows," Ruger takes it upon himself to sit on Dad's lap to get as many snuggles and kisses he can as the baby sleeps nearby with Mom.

Thanks to Ruger's special ways, the video has already garnered more than 127,000 likes with many people saying they get where the pup is coming from.

"He said, you can keep mom, I have dad, lol," one person wrote. "He’s looking at the baby like, 'you do know I was here before you…'" another said. "The way he's making sure you're watching," another added.

When asked how the adjustment is going days later, Ruger's mom replied saying, "He’s been doing better," though "the first few days were hard for him, we could tell, but he’s getting used to her," which is great news for all (especially the baby!)

Related: Yellow Labrador Dutifully 'Inspects' New Puppy to See If She Passes the Test

Preparing Your Dog for a New Baby

To ensure everything goes well when you bring a new baby home, it's essential to take the time to prepare everyone—especially your beloved fur baby. There will be a lot of new things happening, and dogs thrive on routine so before bringing the baby home, the ASPCA advises teaching your pup the skills they'll need to interact safely with the baby and help them adjust to the different sights, smells, and routines that go along with a new baby.

Try to implement small changes gradually so your dog gets used to things in their own time. When baby is home, let him or her sniff a piece of the baby's clothing before introducing them so it becomes familiar. Use a lot of positive reinforcement, including rewards, especially times like when the baby is crying and they're being good. The goal is to get your dog to associate good things with the baby so they don't get jealous, such as going on a walk with both of them, and keeping things "boring" when baby isn't around.

These changes can be hard for an only child (dog!), so take care to make them feel just as loved, if not more, than before, and one day, they'll be best friends!