She thought her dog rang the doorbell more than usual to play outside – his gesture moved her when she noticed who was waiting by the door
The small daily habits hide the biggest acts of love, but we just don’t notice them until something makes us stop and look closer. That’s exactly what happened with dog mom Serena Stadler when her pet, Remi, rang the doorbell more than usual. In a TikTok video posted by @thestadlerfam on January 8, 2026, she shared that she had trained her dog to ring the doorbell whenever he needed to go outside. But with time, he was ringing the bell more than usual, and it began to frustrate her. What initially felt like attention-seeking behavior was actually a gesture that was far more touching, Stadler explained in the video, which has now reached over 4.9 million views.
@thestadlerfam I’m so emotional over this🥹❤️ #dogmom #chihuahua #seniordog #doglove #cutedogvideos ♬ original sound - Serena Stadler
Stadler revealed, “I taught my dog Remi how to ring a doorbell when he needs to go potty, but recently he's been ringing it a lot more than normal.” She explained that initially, she thought it was because he wanted to play outside. However, she soon realized that he wasn’t misbehaving or demanding attention but helping his sister, and it had nothing to do with Remi himself. His way of helping left both Stadler and the viewers deeply moved.
She said, “His sister Madi never learned how to ring a bell, but she used to sit by the door, and that was her way of telling us that she had to go.” Stadler mentioned that Madi lost her sight, and she was unable to find the door anymore. “And somehow Remi noticed,” she explained. He decided to help in his own way. “So now when Madi needs to go outside, Remi rings the bell for her. I didn't train him how to do this; he just learned it by simply loving her,” she expressed.
This beautiful bond between the two dogs melted hearts online, and viewers struggled to hold back tears. Many of them praised Remi. “He may be small and not able to talk, but his heart is big and knows how to speak for others,” noted @small.pandi. “To be loved is to be known,” commented @imextremelyevil. @rukichanx3 expressed, “Remi really cares for his old sister. This really made me run some tears down my face.”
Animals exhibit numerous emotions, including fear, anxiety, frustration, pain, and pleasure. According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, the dog’s physiological and behavioral response changes when they’re exposed to the emotional expression of conspecifics. The study suggests that dogs are sensitive not only to human emotions but also to the emotional state of other dogs. When dogs pick up on the whines and whimpers of another dog, they often become more alert and show signs of heightened stress.
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