Heartbreak as Dog Confused Why Woman's Boyfriend Isn't Coming Home Anymore



A woman has shared a heartbreaking video of her dog waiting by the door for her boyfriend to return home from work—unaware that he never will.

Every day at 5:09 p.m., Grace knows exactly where to find her dog, Frankie—sitting patiently by the front door, expecting her boyfriend’s arrival. It was a cherished routine throughout their relationship, with Frankie always eager to greet another beloved human.

But now, Frankie waits in vain. A couple of weeks ago, Grace and her boyfriend broke up. While she understands the finality of their split, Frankie doesn’t. There’s no way to explain to him that his favorite visitor won’t be coming back. Worse yet, some experts suggest he may never fully grasp what’s happened.

Angie Johnson, a researcher at Yale’s Canine Cognition Lab, explained in a 2017 interview with The Cut: “They may, over time, start to realize that the person hasn’t been around as much, but I don’t know that they would ever have the sort of conscious realization of, ‘Oh, I guess Joe’s never coming back.’”

The emotional situation has left both Grace and Frankie struggling, a reality she captured in a now-viral TikTok video on her account gdogswaggy. The montage shows Frankie’s unwavering daily ritual—waiting at the door, unaware of the breakup.

“How do I break the news to my dog that I broke up with my boyfriend and he isn’t coming home at 5:09 p.m. anymore?” reads the onscreen caption.

Breakups are never easy, but watching Frankie’s confusion has only made it harder for Grace. “Frankie, you are not helping,” she writes in the video’s caption.

The post has resonated with millions, garnering over 5.6 million views and an outpouring of support.

One viewer reassured her, writing, “Your dog will notice you’re happier without him and will adjust.” Another suggested, “Take him out for a walk at that time instead. Changing up the routine might help.”

Others shared their own experiences of heartbreak—some from breakups, others from loss. “My girlfriend of three years left, and my dog was devastated,” one person commented. “A couple years later, we ran into her at the park, and my dog refused to even look at her.”

For some, the loss was even more permanent. “My fiancé died unexpectedly three weeks ago, and every day at 6 p.m., my dogs and I still wait for him to come home,” another wrote.

Though each story was unique, the underlying message remained the same: time heals all wounds.

 

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