Woman Leaves City Behind to Give Dachshund Backyard: ‘My Dog Comes First’
A dog owner on TikTok has shared how she recently made a life-changing decision—not for herself—but for her pet when she purchased a house.
Living in a city-center apartment in Manchester, United Kingdom, Liberty Grace Ward realized that it wasn't ideal for her dachshund named Mabel who would spend hours longing for more time outside.
"I wanted Mabel to be able to freely access the outdoors without having to go up and down a lift," Ward told Newsweek.
In a video posted earlier this month to TikTok which currently has more than 1.6 million views, Ward shared the comparison between Mabel in the apartment and in the new house she bought.
"I always felt so bad for Mabel having her in an apartment," Ward shared in a viral TikTok video. "I'd take her outside every hour, but she'd always sit by the window staring outside, wanting to go back out."
While the arrangement worked during Mabel's early puppyhood, things got more challenging as she grew. "Once I started toilet training, it made things a lot harder. I'd be taking her out every 30 minutes to an hour, up and down the lift," Ward explained in the video.
Though the constant trips outdoors were exhausting, Ward never blamed her dog. "It wasn't ever a problem for me. I knew it wasn't her fault, so I'd just take her out as much as I could," she said. When they visited family members who had gardens, Mabel would spend all her time outside. "She's such an outdoors girl."
Despite enjoying her city lifestyle, Ward knew it was time for a change. "As much as I love the city life, I knew it was time for Mabel to have her own garden that she can go in and out of whenever she wants," she said in the video.
Luke Beerman, CEO and founder of Freedom Fence FL, told Newsweek that "having better access to an outdoor space helps reduce boredom and anxiety" for dogs "by providing the necessary mental and physical stimulation."
He added: "This naturally curbs the dog's desire to escape, resulting in a more content and well-adjusted pet overall. With more freedom to explore, play, and engage with their surroundings, dogs tend to feel more fulfilled and less inclined to act out or try to leave the yard."
In her TikTok video, Ward shared Mabel's face staring out of the window in their apartment, and then the heartwarming first moments in her new home. In a follow-up comment, she wrote: "My dog comes first."
"[Things are] so much better, she has flourished even more. You can tell she's so much happier and brighter in herself. She's always been a happy dog, but I just know she's over the moon now with her garden," Ward told Newsweek.
Ward recounted how Mabel's newfound freedom has changed their lives. "I'll come downstairs and just see her sunbathing in the patches of sun outside, which she could never do in an apartment," she said.
In hundreds of comments, people praised Ward for moving to keep her pup happy. One user wrote, "You are everything that's right in the world," while another added, "Amazing how you listened to her needs."
For Ward, documenting Mabel's journey online has been a way to connect with fellow dog owners.
"I've been posting mine and Mabel's journey since I got her, and since then, I have been documenting our journey," she explained to Newsweek. "My whole niche is based around 'just a girl in her 20s raising a sausage dog.' This was just another step on the journey to share with all my followers."
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This story was originally published September 23, 2024, 10:33 AM.
