By Melissa Fleur AfsharShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberAlix Earle’s freestyle performance during the Dancing With the Stars (DWTS) season finale did not just impress the judges—it captivated a canine audience, too.
A viral TikTok video posted by pet owner @willandmill on November 26 shows a dog transfixed by 24-year-old Earle’s final dance routine, sitting upright and motionless with its eyes locked on the television. The video, which has since garnered more than 9.5 million views and 1.3 million likes, struck a chord with viewers on the platform, who flooded the comments with laughter and appreciation.
“Needless to say, I think Alix Earle's freestyle has everyone including my dog in a chokehold,” read the overlaid text on the now-viral post.
The clip was captioned: “My dog and I are rooting for you Alix Earle and Val. I'd like to say this is an appreciation post for Alix and Val—again my dog really enjoyed it. I think all finalists did such an amazing job and it's not fair to discredit anyone's hard work.”
Earle, a content creator and social media influencer known for her unfiltered lifestyle videos and beauty tips, danced alongside professional partner Val Chmerkovskiy in Season 34 of Dancing With the Stars. Their chemistry and high-energy performances carried them to the finale, where they finished in second place behind conservationist and television personality, Robert Irwin, 21.
Though the dog’s reaction has become the standout postscript to the finale, fans across the platform shared in the admiration for Earle’s emotional final performances.
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"She was robbed. It was rigged for Robert; I won’t be convinced otherwise. The favoritism towards him all season was palpable," one viewer commented.
"How she didn't win is insane to me," another added.
"She’s got the same energy of a 2003 Brittany Spears," a third viewer shared. "I’m so here for it."
"She should have won," another said.
Still, several viewers shared that they found the performance underwhelming, despite the dog's clear seal of approval.
"It was good, but it did not live up to the expectations that I had built up in my head," one viewer said.
Another added: "I mean it was good, but I don’t get all the hype."
Newsweek reached out to @willandmill for more information via TikTok.
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