A dog’s heartwarming reaction to his owner returning from hospital after giving birth has captured the hearts of millions online.

Amy Lynn Marquez (@midquez_), 20, a server and new mom, shared a TikTok video of her 6-year-old Labrador-Pit Bull mix, Rocky, wagging his tail and staring wide-eyed as she walked through the door with her baby girl, Penelope. The viral video quickly racked up 1.5 million likes and over 5.3 million views.

“Rocky’s reaction to meeting Penelope was literally the cutest thing on the planet,” Marquez told Newsweek. “He just looks so poised and proper like he was trying to make a good impression on both me and her… Rocky is literally my soul dog so as soon as he realized that my stomach being bigger meant a baby was coming home, he was very excited.”

Marquez explained that Rocky has been by her side for years: “Rocky has been with me through some really hard times about these past six years so to see him so excited really made me happy.”

In the now-viral clip, Rocky’s enthusiasm is almost too much for him to handle—he can barely stay still as his family returns home. At one point, he even has to be gently restrained to stop him from jumping up in excitement.

Despite his animated welcome, Rocky had remained fairly calm throughout Marquez’s pregnancy. That’s likely because, as she explained, his greatest love in life is his ball. “It’s his literal world!”

Marquez first found out she was pregnant in July 2024 at the age of 19. Understandably, she had some concerns about how Rocky might react to the new addition.

“Quite honestly, I was kind of worried about Rocky. He is a very sweet boy to humans but when it comes to other animals, he’s a little bit aggressive, so I was concerned on how he would react,” she explained.

Luckily, those fears were unfounded. Rocky quickly bonded with little Penelope Lazaro Hill, who was born on March 29.

“Their bond is quite simple… When she cries, he comes when we come downstairs with her he looks at her… He licked her hands a few times, but we have watched them and he likes to jump up and see her in her little car seat,” Marquez said. “Seeing him adjust to a new lifestyle changes also been quite interesting.”

Introducing a baby to a dog can be a major transition for any household.

According to the ASPCA, it’s important to prepare dogs for the sights, sounds, and smells of a new baby before the arrival. Gradual introductions, supervised interactions, and keeping up with the dog’s regular routine can all help the process go smoothly. With care and preparation, many dogs adjust well and even develop protective, nurturing behaviors—just like Rocky.

Viewers on TikTok were charmed by the emotional reunion.

“THE LIP LICKS TO SELF SOOTHE HE’S SO EXCITED,” commented one user.

“So this is who I’ve been smelling in your tummy all these months,” quipped another.

“What a proud big brother,” said a third.

Erika, another viewer, shared her own experience: “My dogs were barking when we came home. Not because they wanted to see the baby, but because I hadn’t been home in 2 days. First thing they did when we got in was come see me with kisses.”

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