You’re not just making it up in your head: When we’re gone, our pets really do miss us, and this TikTok video is proof.
Though it’s never easy to be separated from our pets for any length of time — for us or for them — it’s inevitable. But the Pug in the video below has found a way to cope with missing his mom in the sweetest way.
As we can see in this video shared by @loki_and_mom on TikTok on Saturday, December 20, Loki has realized that his mom is out of town, so as per usual, he’s made a beeline for a pair of shoes she left behind.
“He’s found her shoes, and he’s put one paw in each shoe,” the human who’s in charge of Loki while Mom is gone can be heard saying in the background of the video. “Is that secure? Does that feel good?”
It certainly seems to be good enough for Loki — at least, until his mom gets back and he can snuggle with the real person.
Isn’t this the sweetest? His mom must be missing him, too.
Related: Precious Little Shelter Pug Named ‘Muffin’ Is About to Totally Steal Your Heart
Dogs Use Our Scent to Stay Close to Us
It’s not just that Loki knows those shoes belong to his mom that makes him want to stay close to them when she’s away — it’s more about her scent than anything else.
As Wag points out, dogs’ memories are strongly tied to scent, and they do remember what we smell like, even when we’re gone, which makes sense, since they do have a pretty incredible sense of smell.
This means that they have positive associations that are made between you and the way you smell, and that’s what makes your stuff so comforting to them when you can’t be there in person.
Even better? Research has shown that when our dogs smell our scent on our belongings, that scent and the recognition that comes with it actually makes them feel happy and secure, which is probably the biggest reason Loki seeks out those shoes. He just wants to make sure his mama feels close to him while she’s gone!
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This story was originally published by Parade Pets on Dec 22, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add Parade Pets as a Preferred Source by clicking here.