A woman training at the gym started doing one specific exercise, but the reason why made people's hearts skip a beat.
In a March 18 TikTok video posted to the account, @t_klecan, Taylor Klecan lifts a weighted plate while at the gym and held it in her palm like a tray to the side. She put her other arm out in front, pretending to grip a steering wheel. This is not a gym exercise you would typically see, which confused viewers, but she cut to another clip that explained her reasoning.
The second part of the video shows Klecan driving her truck with her dog in the backseat. She extends her arm with her palm facing up, just as she did at the gym. Her dog, Willow Jane, assumes the position and places her head in her palm. Then it all became clear—she goes through all that training to let her pit bull mix use her as a headrest.
Klecan told Newsweek that she believes Willow Jane's head weighs about five pounds, but it feels heavier, making weight training necessary to keep her stamina.
"I'm just glad she doesn't usually stay that long," Klecan said.
At this point, Klecan is used to being used as Willow Jane's headrest. She's been doing it ever since Klecan and her fiancée found her as a stray in the streets of Charleston, South Carolina.
"She has rested her head on something since she was a puppy, whether it's on my hand in the car or on the back of the couch as she looks out the window," she said. "Sometimes she'll use our shoulder to rest her head on in the car."
And when a shoulder isn't enough, Willow Jane will use Klecan's fiancée's head as a resting spot.
TikTok users couldn't get enough of Klecan's dedication to building muscle for her dog. At the time of writing, the video amassed over 824,700 views and 171,100 likes with viewers calling it the "sweetest thing ever."
"Working the muscles that matter," said one user.
Another added: "When they just drop their whole head weight into your hand and you want to be the strongest for them because you don't wanna let them down."
A third joked: "Imma need the reps and sets recommendations, please ma'am."
For other pet owners who aren't so lucky to have a calm dog like Willow Jane, the American Kennel Club (AKC) shares tips for teaching canines to ride in cars.
"Although it's easiest to prevent car problems in new puppies, any dog can be taught to associate the car with wonderful things using desensitization and counter-conditioning.
"Desensitization is a step-by-step method of gradually introducing your dog to the car. Counter-conditioning changes your dog's emotional response from negative to positive by having great stuff happen near and inside the car," their website said.
They advised starting your dog off in the back seat, or "from 10 feet away, while the car is parked in the driveway" depending on how severe their reaction is.
They said the trick is "to find the point where your dog is comfortable and relaxed then slowly move closer and closer."
At each stage reward them with toys, treats or attention, working up to all the elements preceding a drive, including closing car doors, rolling windows down and turning the engine on and off.
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.
