Nobody likes being told no, and this is especially the case for dogs. As dogs do not have a large vocabulary, there is little they can do to protest being told they can’t do something.

This doesn’t mean they don’t try to express their dissatisfaction with the situation. Dogs know just how to do that.

In the end, they ultimately have to go along with what their owners say, however.

Reuben the Bulldog found himself in just such a situation recently.

He wanted his owners’ attention but was being denied. Dogs love getting attention and affection from their human counterparts.

They don’t fully understand that humans from time to time might have other priorities which need to occupy their attention.

One of these priorities is sleeping. That’s what Reuben’s owner was doing when the bulldog entered the room.

Reuben was persistent and determined to be given attention.

“Reuben the Bulldog’s family was told when they got him that he would require large amounts of love and attention. How true this turned out to be!” the video description reads.

The entire interaction was filmed for preservation. Perhaps the man was hoping that documenting the events would help other human/canine pairs develop their own ways of navigating similar situations.

The clip has gone viral and been viewed over 5 million times.

That’s a big reach for a minute and a half interaction between a man and his dog. It’s also been liked over 100,000 times by people who no doubt were able to relate with the man’s situation, or perhaps Reuben’s.

All dog owners have been in this position before. Perhaps you got home from a long day at work or a night out and you just need to get a bit of rest.

The problem is, your little buddy has been waiting for you to come home and has all this pent-up energy. They want attention but you want to sleep.

It is a tale as old as doggy domestication.

The video begins with Reuben running over to his owner as he rests on the couch. Clearly, the two parties have differing opinions on what should happen next.

Reuben’s first attempts are quite polite.

Poor little Reuben. His first attempts at getting his owners’ attention are quite polite. He squealed out that sound many dogs make when they are attempting to express something along the lines of “Please pet me and give me attention.”

Reuben then jumped up a little and placed his head next to the man and gave him a little sniff and snort. The man would then describe this as being hit with some cheesy-smelling mucous.

“He just sprayed me in the face with cheese-smelling mucous,” says the man.

Reuben grows more frustrated.

Eventually, Reuben figures out that his actions aren’t having the desired consequences. He retreats away from his owner but you can tell he’s not happy about it.

Reuben waddled over to his bed, which made his owner happy, for a bit, at least, anyway.

“Look at that. How novel! He is actually using his bed for once. Although, he is not happy about it,” the man jokes.

The man noted that if it were up to Reuben, the bulldog would just be resting on top of him.

“He would much rather be laying on top of me, but sometimes I need a break because I can’t always have a dog on top of me every time that I lay down. So now he’s mad,” explains the man.

Reuben Tries, But Fails, To Accept The Situation

It seemed as though Reuben was trying to accept that he was not going to receive any attention when he went to his bed. As he was laying there, however, the frustration in him grew to an uncontainable level. His pouting was obvious.

“Pout all you want. Give me a break, just for today,” says the man.

The Protests Continue

It’s clear by Reuben’s response that his protests usually work. They won’t this time, however. This is a dog owner who needs a little respite, even if just for a little while. It seems he’s won the argument with Reuben for now but he’s not confident it will last.

“I don’t think this is going to last, right Reuben?” the man says.

Reuben never does seem to fully accept being confined to the floor when there is a comfortable human to lay on nearby. We’re certain Reuben will eventually get all the attention he craves, however.

Watch the video below of Reuben the Bulldog’s adorable response to their owner.

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Source: Reuben the Bulldog/Morgan Slimak