Meet Sunny, the Golden Retriever Who “Glitches” Every Time a Strange Object Touches Her
“My dog has a system crash.”
By Gabriele Tancredo Stella in Dogs
We know that dogs have their own quirks and peculiar habits. Some like to chase their own shadow, others roll in the grass, and some love to chase their tails. With Sunny the Golden Retriever, it’s no different. So, what’s her quirk? Well… you’re going to laugh when you find out.
This six-year-old pup doesn’t like having unfamiliar objects placed on her. When that happens, she freezes — literally “glitches.” Her owner, Vitoria Ramos from Bahia, Brazil, even jokes, “My dog has a system crash.” You have to see it to believe it!
Sunny could be having the time of her life playing with her toys or calmly walking around the house, but the moment Vitória places something on her neck or head, the poor thing freezes. She turns into a statue — no tail wagging, no blinking, barely even breathing. She just freezes!
Finding Sunny’s reaction hilarious, Vitória recorded it and shared it on her TikTok (@toribeats) on July 21 — sparking curiosity among viewers about what might be going through Sunny’s mind.
“Sunny being Sunny,” Vitória wrote in the caption.
In an interview with Amo Meu Pet (our Brazilian website about pet news), Vitória said she first noticed this behavior in Sunny when she was about a year old.
Right after she was spayed, when they put the cone on her, she would just stand still. So Vitória replaced the cone with a surgical onesie—and Sunny had the exact same reaction.
“I have no idea why she acts like this. When it happened with the cone, I figured it was because she couldn’t see properly and was afraid of bumping into things,” she said. “But when you put other things on her — like a travel pillow, headset, or cap — I think she stays still because she’s afraid of dropping whatever’s on her. Hahaha.”
Curious to see Sunny frozen? Over 424,000 users have watched the video and 91,000 have reacted — and the comments are priceless! Internet users let their imagination run wild trying to describe what’s going on in Sunny’s head.
“Is it a bomb? Tell me it’s not a bomb,” joked a TikToker.
“Her mind: ‘No sudden movements, I said no sudden movements,’” wrote another with a laugh.
“Don’t touch my fur because I washed it last week,” commented a third.
Check it out — Sunny is quite the character!
Clearly in love with her dog, Vitória ended the interview by saying:
“I can’t even put into words what she means to me. She’s my partner — like a daughter to me. Hahaha. She’s so affectionate. It’s the best feeling to come home and see her celebrating, tail wagging with happiness. I love her so much! I can’t imagine what it would be like not to have her in my life. She makes everything happier, not only for me, but also for my mother and brother.”
Now the question remains: why do dogs freeze in certain situations?
According to the news portal Silent Conversations, some dogs freeze in challenging situations out of fear or anxiety. This immobility response is a strategy to go unnoticed or to deal with the unknown.
Every dog has a unique personality and reacts differently to stimuli. Some dogs may feel threatened by something new or strange, such as unfamiliar people or visits to the vet.
Understanding and respecting your dog’s behavior is essential to providing a safe and comfortable environment. If you have ongoing concerns, consulting an animal behavior professional or veterinarian may be helpful for proper guidance.
