BOULDER, CO \u2014<\/strong> Local golden retriever Winston Barkley bravely sprinted across the house in an effort to save his mom from the horrifying ordeal of using the bathroom alone.<\/p>\n Despite being dead asleep on the couch and dreaming about rotisserie chicken, Winston suddenly sensed his human was in immediate danger of experiencing privacy.<\/p>\n \u201cNot on my watch,\u201d thought Winston as he launched off the cushions and thundered down the hallway. \u201cPoor human. Going potty with no one staring intensely into their soul. What if they fall in? What if the toilet attacks? What if they need emotional support? HOLD ON. I\u2019M COMING.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t According to sources, Winston has made it his personal mission to ensure his owner never faces any bathroom-related activity without supervision. Friends say he\u2019s been this way ever since he was rescued from a local animal shelter and immediately bonded to his new mom, deciding that her safety and her bathroom privacy were now his full-time responsibility.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s just so thoughtful,\u201d reported Winston\u2019s mom, visibly exhausted. \u201cHe\u2019ll be in a deep sleep, but the second I stand up and walk toward the bathroom, he\u2019s instantly awake like he\u2019s been training for this moment his whole life.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t Witnesses say Winston will wedge himself directly between his mom\u2019s legs and the door, forcing entry with the confidence of a dog who pays rent and owns the house.<\/p>\n \u201cHe doesn\u2019t even want anything,\u201d said Mom. \u201cHe just\u2026 needs to be there. He\u2019ll stare at me like I\u2019m doing something illegal. Sometimes he sighs like I\u2019m<\/em> inconveniencing him.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t Experts confirm this behavior is common among dogs who believe their humans are incapable of handling basic tasks unsupervised. \u201cIn the canine mind, a closed door is a cry for help,\u201d said one local veterinarian. \u201cThey assume something catastrophic is happening, and their presence will solve it.\u201d<\/p>\n Some researchers also believe dogs follow their owners to the bathroom because they are deeply bonded and instinctively want to stay close at all times. Others point out the simpler explanation: dogs are professional nosy little weirdos who consider personal space a suspicious human concept. \u201cYour dog doesn\u2019t think you\u2019re doing anything private,\u201d explained the veterinarian. \u201cThey think you\u2019re leaving the pack, entering a small echo chamber, and potentially producing snacks. They\u2019re just trying to be supportive\u2026 and also gather intel.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t Sources close to Winston say he has also begun performing \u201cbathroom perimeter checks,\u201d circling the doorway twice before settling into a guard position. In several cases, Winston has reportedly pushed the door open slowly, just to make sure his human hasn\u2019t vanished into the shadow realm.<\/p>\n At the time of publication, Winston was seen pushing the bathroom door open with his nose to prevent his mom from attempting the unthinkable: going \u201cnumber two\u201d without an audience.<\/p>\n
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<\/h3>\nCommon Dog Behavior<\/h3>\n
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