Dog becomes internet sensation for helping dad with newborn twins: 'She's my girls' guardian angel'

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, monitored over 30 dogs when their owners ignored them for different items: a stuffed animated dog that wagged its tail, barked, and whined; a jack-o'-lantern; and a pop-up children's book that played melodies. Results? The dogs appeared far more jealous when ignored for the stuffed toy than for other items. They also observed that nearly one-third of them tried hard to get attention, proving that canines experience jealousy when their owners overlook or neglect them. When Josh and Kelly Rheaume became parents to twin girls, they, too, for obvious reasons, were apprehensive about Lucy, their dog's reaction. As expected, initially, the dog wasn't exactly comfortable being around two new members, but soon she fell in love with the twins, becoming their guardian elder sister. 

"She was confused. For about five or six days, she was very standoffish... She tried to go in the car seat, trying to take their place so she could get our attention again. It was quite sad, actually," Josh told TODAY. Josh and Kelly had rescued the dog when they were dating, and she quickly became an integral part of the family. The couple soon realized they had to do something to make Lucy befriend their twins. "We learned pretty quickly that what we had to do was include her in as much as we could; with all the tricks that I had trained Lucy over the years, we figured that we could put them into action," Josh shared. The plan to include the family dog in raising the daughters turned out well, and Lucy's bond with the twins is very much evident from all the reels the couple has been sharing on TikTok. In an adorable video, Lucy brings a diaper for her sister and helps their dad take care of the baby. 

In another video, Lucy walks into the room to see both her sisters sleeping in the cradle. She runs to the fridge, pulls out their feeding bottle, and runs back to the room so the twins can be fed. "Lucy has absolutely excelled at her new role as big sister," Josh wrote, reflecting on how the dog has been equally involved in raising his girls. Netizens also noticed the 'big sister' quality in Lucy, and praised the parents for including their dog in almost everything related to the babies. 

Echoing the sentiments, @maribel said, "That is amazing. I love seeing how you involve her in every milestone in your life. Lucy has found her purpose, and she does it well!" @positive_vibes7878 wrote, "I absolutely love all your videos! It makes my heart so happy to see how your furbaby is included in everything. She knows what an important big sister she is!" @jessica_ann702 hoped, "My fur baby will be just over 7 when his human baby comes into this world. I pray we make it as smooth a transition as possible for him!" Overwhelmed with Lucy's story, @maggie pointed out, "How precious. Thankfully, the parents understood Lucy felt left out and started including her in everything. Not everyone would understand that!" @sweetcissy commented, "Always a good girl, Lucy! Give her lots of hugs and kisses from me and my fur baby."

You can follow UhOhTwins (@uhohtwins) on TikTok to know more about Lucy's bond with her twin sisters.

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