Australian Shepherd With 'Spare Human' Has Best Response to Spotting Mom

While all couples would like to believe that their pets don't have favorites, in reality, this sadly may not be true. One dog with a clear favorite is Boba the Australian shepherd, who in a recent video posted to their Instagram made it abundantly clear where his loyalties lie. In the video posted by @boba_theshepherd, Boba can be seen walking down the street on a leash with his dad, who is also pushing a stroller. As soon as Boba sees his mom, who is behind the camera, he breaks in to a sprint, causing his dad to pick up the pace to keep with him, as he strains against the leash to get to her. "When you're walking with the spare human but finally see your human in the distance," reads the text while the caption says, "Spare human let's gooo!!!! MOM IS HERE." Some dogs might do a really good job of convincing their owner they love them, only to ignore them completely when the second owner comes home. "You'd think that if you provide the most time, care and attention to our dog, you get to be their favorite person in the whole wide world," say WagWalking on their website, "but that is not always true. Their key socialization period is of utmost importance in establishing who gets to be the true master." Dogs form their strongest bonds within the first six months of their lives, WagWalking continues, "with whoever cares for them during this period." It adds, "In other words, when a person is the source of all good things, the dog will form a connection with them. Chemistry and bonding go hand in hand, so pay attention to his natural body language." Apart from finding out who the favorite is, some dog owners question whether their dog loves them at all. Researchers at Emory University in Atlanta used science to determine how dogs really feel about their owners.

Using MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) the scientists exposed the dogs to certain smells, and scanned their brains to detect changes in brain function relating to different emotions. "The experiment revealed that when a dog smelled the familiar aroma of his owner, the 'reward center' of the brain (caudate nucleus) was activated," report VCA Animal Hospitals, "The caudate nucleus contains many dopamine receptors and in human brains, like canine brains, it lights up when exposed to pleasurable experiences." A similar response happens in human brains when they are shown photos of people they love, adds WagWalking. Users on Instagram loved the funny video. "Well done dad for not dropping the baby, dog or yourself," commented one user, "I think the hooman just completed an Olympic sport. Bonus points for not losing the 4-legged or 2-legged baby," wrote another. Newsweek has reached out to @boba_theshepherd via Instagram for comment. Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.