Puppies get adopted at a much higher rate than older dogs, despite being a ton of work. That’s partly because people want a dog for its entire lifespan, in part to watch it grow.
And then there’s the fact that puppies are impossibly adorable.
This might help explain why a YouTube video posted in 2018 – a montage of photos from the life of one dog – has already been viewed nearly 8 million times.
In “Watch My Puppy Grow,” YouTuber Julez Fowler chronicles the life of her adorable German Shepherd Eikō Bear from 7-weeks-old to two-years-old.
The video appeared in honor of his second birthday in November 2018.
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The first thing we see is the puppy coming home and then promptly going on his first trip to the pet store.
He looks pretty calm!
His very first weigh-in at the vet clocks him at a mere 9 pounds and 15 ounces. There’s a lot of fur there if that’s all this little guy weighs!
And, of course, while puppies have lots of energy, they often don’t know how to spread it out and fall asleep in the funniest places.
At 7 weeks, Eikō Bear got a little droopy-eyed in his water bowl.
Just a week later, Eikō is already bonding with the family’s other dog.
And, of course, he’s getting into the favorite puppy habit of chewing shoes.
The chewing can’t be trained away overnight, so our next look at the pup at 9 weeks involves him mouthing his favorite toy.
Isn’t he sweet?
At 10 weeks, he’s being a fun younger sibling, while just one week later he’s already learned to sit and shake hands!
…With the help of some treats, of course.
His big sister guides him through the next few weeks, showing him who’s boss and teaching him how to eat snow. By the time we see Eikō at 6 months old, he’s learning to swim in the sunshine.
And he seems to really enjoy it!
By 8 months, he’s gotten to be a big boy, though he’s still confused about all the interest in taking photos and videos.
His first birthday is a small family gathering at which he agrees to wear a hat in exchange for some celebratory food (just like most 1-year-olds!).
He certainly doesn’t look like a puppy anymore.
Eikō Bear’s snow-eating abilities have truly crystalized three months after his birthday. He’s well on his way to being a big, goofy, and yet somehow still majestic, adult German Shepherd.
And at nearly 2 years old, he’s just about as big as his big sister and it’s getting hard to tell them apart, age-wise.
It’s pretty clear they’re both living the good life!
If you want to see more of this furry family, there are plenty of German Shepherd videos where this came from – mom’s YouTube channel is full of them! And her Instagram page is chock full of sweet photos of the family as well.
This past November, Fowler posted another set of photos in honor of Eikō Bear’s 3rd birthday and – spoiler alert – he’s still adorable.
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