Dog Enjoying Own Piñata With Favorite Toy Wins Pet of the Week

This week, we saw a dog who loves swimming finally get his very own backyard pool and laughed as a golden retriever got ready for “school” in a hilarious viral video.

As well as pet stories from viral videos, we love seeing our readers’ videos and pictures for our Newsweek Pet of the Week lineup.

If you have any funny pictures or video of your animals, be sure to follow the instructions at the end of the story to get involved.

Winner

This week’s Pet of the Week is Cooper, a golden retriever who lives with owner Natalie Schiavi in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

As a special surprise for Cooper’s birthday, Schiavi had a brilliant idea: a custom-made piñata filled with his favorite toy.

After building a piñata filled completely with tennis balls, she captured the reveal on video. Cooper is seen under a tree, barely able to contain his excitement as the tennis balls cascade around him.

“He is obsessed with tennis balls, so I surprised him with a piñata full of them for his birthday,” Schiavi told Newsweek.

She also shared the heartwarming video on her Instagram page @barkin_brothers where she charts the adventures of Cooper and his two canine friends Chance and Macaroni.

Alongside the video, Schiavi emphasized the importance of making pets’ birthdays special. “Friendly reminder that dogs don’t get enough birthdays, so make them special,” she wrote, inspiring fellow pet owners to celebrate their pets’ milestones.

Finalists

Our first finalist this week is Chewy, who lives with owner Roberto Reyes in New York City.

A bulldog, Chewy is very popular in his neighborhood; he is always making friends at The Honey Well cocktail bar, where he has become a mascot.

Reyes has even created cocktails named after him. “He has been the best dog, and everyone in the neighborhood knows him,” he told Newsweek.

Next up this week is Miette, a tiny, 6-pound toy poodle who was rescued by owner Barbara Lensing in 2022.

“Miette had one of her back legs broken sometime in the past, and it was not repaired, so she walks and runs on three legs,” Lensing told Newsweek. However, Miette doesn’t let it slow her down. “She can run like the wind in spite of it,” her owner said.

A friendly and “sensitive but sassy” girl, Miette brings endless joy to her owner, who said, “I love this little girl with all of my heart.”

Last but definitely not least are Coco and Marlee, who live with owner Merkeresseria Goode.

One-year-old Coco, a Shorkie (a Shih Tzu and Yorkshire terrier mix), was given to Goode by her mom. “She loves sitting under me and following me around,” Goode told Newsweek.

Coco is particularly affectionate and demands belly rubs constantly. When Goode caught COVID-19, the pup stayed by her side the entire time. “My favorite thing about her is, even if I’m feeling down, she’s always right there,” the owner said.

Marlee is a 2-year-old Labradoodle who was supposed to be a temporary guest but ended up staying permanently. “She had been to six different homes and was raised in a backyard that was condemned by the state,” Goode said.

Now enjoying a stable home for the first time, Marlee loves a heavy bone given to her by Goode’s niece and riding in her owner’s semi-truck. “I have to tell her to embrace her hugeness… it’s OK to be big,” said Goode, who has learned to love Marlee’s large size.

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.