Six-foot dog kicked out of puppy school for sitting on smaller pups in his class

Newfoundland Franklyn is only one-year-old but already weighs a massive nine stone. He thinks he is a ‘small lap dog’ and climbs all over of his owners and other dogs

A “clumsy” six-foot Newfoundland has been kicked out of puppy school for sitting on the smaller dogs in his class. One-year-old Franklyn still thinks he is a lapdog despite already weighing nine stone – and usually gets away with doing whatever he wants because of his “bear-like” stature.

Owner Shauna Connors stopped previous pets from jumping on her sofas but Franklyn makes himself comfortable wherever and whenever he likes. A viral video shows him stretch across her husband Travis Connors’ lap as he lies down on the sofa before lifting his giant rear paws up to stand on his stomach.

Travis, 47, can be heard shouting in pain as the giant dog moves around as if to get settled and then drops to sit on his chest while looking innocently at the camera.

Baffled Shauna says Franklyn ‘thinks he’s a small lap dog’ so she’s worried her sofa will break in the new year when he’s fully grown and could weigh a whopping 14 stone.

Despite claiming she “knew what she was signing up for”, the 41-year-old admits he’s ‘a lot of work’ and they’re trying to tame him ‘day by day’.

Franklyn is six-feet tall when stood on his hind legs and the family – including children Alice and Paige Connors, both 18 – even have to clean drool off the ceilings.

His “bull-in-a-china-shop attitude” has led him to smash glasses, push furniture and shake the dining table mid-family-meal in search of scraps or one of his beloved toys.

The “clumsy” pooch was even kicked out of puppy school for sitting on smaller dogs during play time and he’s been compared to a buffalo and a bear by TikTok users.

Shauna, from Nova Scotia, Canada, said: “He has no idea how big he is. He thinks of himself as a small lapdog.

“It’s hard to say no when he wants to cuddle. It’s difficult to stop him because there’s room for him to climb up there. I’m worried my sofa’s going to buckle, because he’s really heavy.

“With previous dogs we’d never let them on the furniture, but he’s very determined and stubborn so he does what he wants.

“He got kicked out of puppy class because he was bigger than the other dogs and he’d sit on them during play time. He’s definitely clumsy.

“Everyone says he would be so cuddly, cute and fun to have, but they’re a lot of work. We take it day by day.

“We knew what we were signing up for, but you think you’re prepared and your house is puppy-proofed but you forget he’s going to be so tall and do whatever he wants.

“Sometimes he’ll come through the room and push things out of the way like they’re nothing. If there’s a crumb of food or a toy behind an object, like the sofa or the coffee table, it’s getting moved.

“Even taking him on walks in the neighbourhood he wants to play with small dogs but he’s too big for them and they’d go flying. He’d squash them.

“He is a bull in a china shop. He doesn’t mean to be destructive but he’s so big and his tail is so fluffy we can’t keep anything on the coffee table because they tend to go flying.

“Our reflexes have definitely improved over the past year to save the least. Catching glasses and things like that.

“He’s too big to fit underneath the dining room table to look for scraps, but it doesn’t stop him trying. The table shakes and everyone has to grab their plates.

“When the kids come home he’ll come running towards them and sometimes he’ll knock them over.

He prefers to lie on the floor, but if someone’s on a sofa and he wants to cuddle, he’s going to cuddle and you have no say.”

Shauna says Franklyn is now tall enough to rest his head on the kitchen counter, but he doesn’t steal his family’s food because he’s happy with their scraps.

She bought Franklyn from a breeder in March two months after his birth in January because they wanted a large dog to suit the family who are all above 5ft 10in.

The mum thinks a perfect mix of cuteness and his sheer size has led to his online popularity, and many commented on her viral video joking she has a grizzly bear or buffalo in the house.

The video of Travis being squashed by Franklyn has been viewed 27 million times and has earned more than two million likes and 13,000 comments.

One commented: “Big dogs either couldn’t care less that they’re big or have no idea that they’re big.”

Another joked: “Yes dad, I’m a lapdog.”

A third said: “I’ve had a horrible day and this stopped me crying. Thank you.”

One worried user asked: “Are his ribs fine?”

Shauna replied: “He’s good.”

Another joked: “There’s a grizzly bear in your living room.”

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