A woman has gone viral for capturing the moment she met her new puppy for the first time, with viewers’ hearts melting at their instant bond.
Lauren Limas, 22, had waited a long time for a dog of her own, after her parents surprised her and her brother with a family dog, dachshund Rex, in 2020.
“Ever since then, I’ve been completely obsessed with the breed and knew I eventually wanted one—or maybe five—of my own,” she told Newsweek.
But the timing was never quite right, as professional dancer Limas was splitting her time between her home in Texas and wherever her performances took her.
“With my performance lifestyle, I’ve moved around quite a bit and never felt like there was a ‘right time,'” she explained. “But now that I’m planning to make New York City a more permanent home, I knew it was finally the perfect moment to bring a puppy into my life.”
Limas got to work, researching breeders for a dachshund puppy—and when she found Finnley in Oklahoma, her boyfriend agreed to drive from Texas, pick him up, and look after him for a few days until Limas got back from New York.
The moment Limas met Finnley for the very first time was caught on camera and posted to her TikTok account, @lauren.elise.l on August 26. It shows Finnley waiting for her in arrivals when she made her trip home to Texas after living in the Big Apple for six months.
In the video, which Limas described as showing her “meeting my son for the first time,” the tiny puppy waits at the airport—and from down a corridor comes his new owner, a massive grin on her face.
Her luggage in tow, Limas sprints to the tiny dachshund, then drops to her knees and picks him up.
And Finnley is just as excited to meet her, as he instantly begins licking her face, tail wagging, pawing at her as she beams and cuddles her new pet.
TikTok users were hugely moved, awarding the video more than 200,000 likes and close to one million views, as one commenter summed up the situation: “Every animal knows when their soul human has arrived.”
“He just knows he’s gonna have the bestest life,” another agreed, while one pointed out “the way he just sat waiting for you to say hi.”
“Nothing compares to those first moments,” another wrote, wishing them a “looong and great life together.”
Finnley, who now has his own popular TikTok account, @finnley.james, is “settling in even better than we could have imagined,” Limas told Newsweek.
Miniature dachshunds are a popular pet thanks to their curious and friendly nature, being affectionate towards their owners but with an independent streak, and their small size—weighing just up to 11 pounds.
In 2024, dachshunds were the sixth-most popular dog breed in America, according to the American Kennnel Club.
“He absolutely loves other dogs and always wants to play,” Limas said. “He sleeps through the night, gives the sweetest cuddles, and has the cutest little quirk—whenever he’s excited to see you, he flops onto his back asking for belly rubs!
“He’s also 100% determined to eat everything in sight and we can’t wait for him to be fully vaccinated so he can explore more of the world with us.”