Copyright Newsweek
One golden retriever has found a brand-new way to entertain himself and even his owner is shocked by his new skill. A video of Bixby (@bixbythegolden) lying in his crate has gone viral, gaining over 712,000 views since it was posted on November 5. The seven-month-old pup can be seen lying on his side, scratching the bottom of the crate, as the on-screen text reads: “Has anyone else caught their dog finding out their nails extend and make noise?” earning 109,800 likes. “I don’t think I even knew they could do this,” the owner wrote in the caption. One commenter joked, “He’s making tally marks like he’s in prison counting the days,” while others questioned why Bixby’s crate had no bedding. Another user said, “I know a dog that eats bedding when I see one,” and the owner confirmed that’s exactly why it’s empty. “Goldens are literally known for eating stuff they know they shouldn’t,” the owner explained, adding an update to the caption: “Bixby is JUST fine how his crate is. I have tried different beds, blankets, etc. It’s for his safety that he doesn’t have those things. He will chew, rip, and eat them! And I’d rather not have to pay a vet bill over something I caused.” “Bixby is too funny I can just tell he’s probably the biggest goofy, silly, happy boy,” said another user and the owner confirmed he is. Viewers Compare the Video to ASMR Some viewers have compared the clip to an Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) video—the tingling sensation caused by certain sounds or visuals, such as whispering, tapping, or brushing. ASMR is often used by young people to relax, fall asleep, reduce stress, or ease anxiety. "His making his own ASMR video," said one user, and another wrote: "He’s telling you he wants to do ASMR content." The popularity of ASMR content is huge, with the hashtag #asmr boasting over 40 million posts on social media, featuring everything from makeup tutorials to the sound of people eating candy. What Science Says About ASMR A study involving 30 adults who had never experienced ASMR tingles examined brain activity using fMRI scans while participants either watched ASMR videos or listened to ASMR sounds. Results showed that videos activated brain areas linked to reward and emotion (the middle frontal gyrus and nucleus accumbens), while sounds alone activated areas tied to emotion and body awareness (the insular cortex). Although participants felt equally relaxed during both, their brains reacted differently. Researchers suggested that future studies should include people who actually experience tingles to better understand how ASMR might help with mental health and relaxation. Newsweek reached out to @bixbythegolden for comment via TikTok. We could not verify the details of the case. Reference Sakurai, Noriko, et al. “Brain Function Effects of Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) Video Viewing.” Frontiers in Neuroscience, vol. 17, Jan. 2023, p. 1025745. PubMed Central, https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2023.1025745.
