Deaf dog missed his best friend next door so family surprised him with a special visit and playdate

Editor's note: This article was originally published on April 25, 2023. It has since been updated.

Friendships and relationships hold a very big part of our lives. They support us through everything and bring smiles to our faces. However, we do not realize that these friendships are just not limited to human beings and pets like dogs often create friendships of a lifetime. The proof of this is the story of Poundcake, a deaf dog, and his best friend Dunkin. In a video shared on Instagram user @make.life.happen, a dog named Poundcake can be seen looking over to the next house and the text overlay reads, "When poundcake's friend moved away he was crushed." In the next few frames, the furry can be seen looking sad and constantly waiting for his friend to come back. 

"It broke our heart, he didn't understand," the overlay reads as the video shows the adorable dog looking out a window, on the porch, constantly in wait for Dunkin. His owners realized that they need to let him play with other dogs to help him cope with this change. They did take him to meet new friends and he plays with them every single day. However, nobody else has been able to take the place of his best friend. The text in the video says, "Some he gets along with well than others but he never forgot his best friend next door. We knew he needed to see his friend again."

So, they arranged a play date and Poundcake was able to see his friend again. His reaction to seeing him after so much confusion is absolutely heartwarming. He pauses to confirm if it is really his friend and then they both run toward each other. The text overlay revealed, "Dunkin doesn't live far, they'll have many playdates for years."  

Poundcake's owner stresses the importance of dogs having four-legged companions."Some folks can’t have multiple dogs for a variety of reasons, but we cannot forget our dogs need companionship, and if you’re going to bring a dog into your home, please make time to make that happen for them. Poundcake has so many friends, some close like Dunkin & Cannoli, some further away. One thing we always try to make time for is for him to get to go somewhere to see other dogs. They love us, but they need more than that, so let’s make it happen, especially if, like me, you only have one dog at this time," he wrote.

Poundcake's owner has always been a vocal champion of rescue dogs, urging his followers to adopt from shelters. As someone who has benefitted immensely from being loved unconditionally by Poundcake, he often shares beautiful passages that remind us to always look out for our four-legged friends. "We often forget about them or prioritize our lives, our wants, needs, and desires. Nobody’s perfect, I for one can do a better job of remembering what Poundcake needs, what he is feeling, and what his hopes and dreams are. I do my best but can always do better," he wrote in an emotional post. "It’s easy to get lost in the daily stresses of our lives, but I hope you take a moment today to remember their lives are short, and you get to decide what kind of life they get to live. For all of the love they give us, they deserve everything in return"