20-year-old dog's excited reaction to owner's return delights TikTok

UK - This dog is still going strong at the age of 20, but Lucy seems to realize that she doesn't have much time left, so even a few minutes without her owner, Karen, is hard for her.

20-year-old dog Lucy hasn't lost her enthusiasm, despite her old age.
20-year-old dog Lucy hasn't lost her enthusiasm, despite her old age.  © Screenshot/TikTok/@lucythe20yroldstaffy

Even when Karen has only been away for a short time, Lucy greets her with endless excitement.

Recently, the dog lover captured one of these touching moments, and it has since become clear that the situation is close to not only her heart but also that of many other TikTok users.

In the clip, Karen, who lives with Lucy in England, has just returned home.

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Although she has only been gone for five minutes, the Staffordshire bull terrier stands at the top of the stairs and lets out several joyful barks while wagging her tail.

"She always greets me like that—even when I just pop to the shop," the proud owner recently told Newsweek.

The cute viral hit has now received tens of thousands of clicks and thousands of likes, with dozens of comments in the comments section, most of which use heart emojis.

The fact that Lucy is a proud 20-year-old is what makes the video so special for people, but how old do Staffordshire bull terriers actually get?

Lucy is rightly in a hurry for her owner to come back

Lucy gets excited each time Karen returns, even when her owner has only been away for a few minutes.
Lucy gets excited each time Karen returns, even when her owner has only been away for a few minutes.  © Screenshot/TikTok/@lucythe20yroldstaffy

According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), the life expectancy of dogs varies considerably.

As a rule of thumb, smaller dogs tend to live longer than larger ones.

While Great Danes, for example, only live eight to ten years, the much smaller Chihuahuas reach an average of 15 to 17 years.

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A look at the average age of Staffordshire terriers shows that Lucy's 20 years is well above the average for her breed — the animals can normally expect to live for 12 to 16 years.

So it's no wonder that every minute seems to count for Lucy!

Cover photo: Screenshot/TikTok/@lucythe20yroldstaffy

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