Since arriving at her owner Erin's home, this 21-year-old's little dog from the UK has become a genuine TikTok sensation. Her dedicated account, @pumpkinthedashy, has already racked up millions of views thanks to one very special feature: Pumpkin's enormous ears.
When Erin collected her in August, there was no hint of what was to come. "Her ears were floppy and completely normal", she revealed. But over the following weeks, one ear began to stand up, then the second. The result: Pumpkin now sports two oversized ears, sticking straight out to the sides, reminding many of Dobby from Harry Potter.
Those 'Dobby' ears that captivate viewers
The phenomenon is certainly intriguing. Vets call them "rose ears" - ears that fold backwards rather than forwards. They're usually found in Whippets or French Bulldogs... and now in Pumpkin.
For Erin, this quirk makes her dog even more endearing: "I love dogs with big ears, so I can't help but love hers", she says. And she's not alone. On TikTok, her videos have garnered over 6.6 million views and 1.4 million likes.
In the comments, viewers compete with witty observations: some compare Pumpkin to Dobby or Yoda, whilst others joke that "all the growth went to the ears" or that they "look like aeroplane wings".
A little star who melts everyone's heart
Apart from this peculiarity, Pumpkin remains a typical Dachshund puppy: playful, a bit mischievous, but also very cuddly. Erin regularly shares photos of her development, including a slideshow showing her well-behaved ears when she first arrived, then their gradual transformation.
Today, Pumpkin is one of those dogs who, thanks to a unique feature, manages to capture the hearts of thousands of people around the world. A little star with big ears who continues to make the internet smile.
