“He loves that doll so much.”
Dino is happiest when he is relaxing at home with his owner, Yaneth Ibrahim. Unfortunately, whenever Ibrahim has to leave for work, being apart from her has always been difficult for the little dog.
Dino experiences separation anxiety, a problem that affects many pets when they are left alone. In Ibrahim’s absence, he would often wander around the house, whine and stare through the window while waiting for any sign that she was coming back.
Wanting to make him feel more comfortable, Ibrahim decided to experiment with an unusual idea she had seen online. She purchased a life-sized human doll and placed it in the house so Dino would have something resembling a person nearby while she was gone.
The solution worked surprisingly well.
Instead of nervously pacing around, Dino began climbing into the doll’s lap and settling down comfortably. Having the human-shaped companion nearby appeared to help him relax and made spending time alone much easier.
There was only one unexpected consequence: Dino became extremely attached to his new friend.
Previously, he would become overwhelmingly excited whenever Ibrahim returned home. Now, even after she walks through the door, Dino sometimes prefers to remain curled up with the doll rather than immediately rushing over to his real-life mom.
Ibrahim was initially surprised by just how strong the connection became. She even shared footage showing Dino happily sitting with the doll while seemingly ignoring her attempts to convince him to switch laps.
Despite joking that she has been replaced, Ibrahim is pleased with the outcome. What matters most to her is that Dino no longer spends his time alone feeling frightened or distressed.
The unusual companion has given Dino the comfort he needed to become calmer and more independent whenever Ibrahim is away.
And unlike his busy human mom, Dino’s favorite substitute cuddle partner never has anywhere else to be.