- Veterinary assistant Aiden Mann and his dog, Plum, achieved viral fame when Mann uploaded a
TikTok video of the gentle way he wakes up theblind anddeaf miniature Australian shepherd every morning. - In under a week, the video racked up 51 million views and over 12 million likes, in addition to some emotional comments from celebrities who discovered the video.
- While Mann was not expecting viral fame, he hopes that his social media presence can call out an unethical dog-breeding practice and provide some positivity for the trans community.
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Aiden Mann, a veterinary assistant living in Nashville, Tennessee, is a proud dog dad. Five years ago, the 25-year-old adopted Lola, a Staffordshire bull terrier and Great Dane mix, and, last summer, he brought in an addition to the family: Plum, a miniature Australian shepherd who was born deaf and partially blind.
At first, Mann was nervous about adopting a dog with special needs, but "the second after" meeting Plum, who was being fostered by a coworker, he was in love.
"I definitely didn't know what I was getting myself into but I did know that I loved her and wanted to give her a good life," he told Insider.
Over time, with lots of "trial and error," Mann says, the two learned to communicate — and they're currently working on touch signals to help Plum learn commands.
"We have 'sit' somewhat down which is a touch under her chin," Mann explained. "And when I want her to follow me or go in a certain direction, I will softly guide her nose in the direction we are going or run my hand along her body in the direction I want her to go."
Since Plum joined the family, she's had plenty of fun, from swimming in a secluded creek near Mann's house to meeting new friends in dog parks. She and Lola even share updates on their joint Instagram account.
Plum's most recent adventure, however, has been skyrocketing to viral fame, thanks to a TikTok video Mann posted in which he demonstrated a gentle way to wake up a dog that can't see or hear.
Finding a way to wake Plum, Mann says, was one of the initial challenges of caring for a dog with special needs. He tried gently petting her, but even a light touch would startle her. Another approach was placing a treat under a nose — a more subtle maneuver, but usually an ineffective one.
Ultimately, he discovered, lightly blowing on her nose yielded the best result — and he posted a video of their morning routine to TikTok.
"People ask me how I wake up my deaf and blind pup without scaring her," Mann captioned a clip of himself approaching a sleeping Plum."I slightly blow on her. She still gets a startled until she feels me. Then she wants all the love."
The video cuts to Mann demonstrating the wakeup process and cuddling Plum.
@aiden_m365 Yes I know I have a hole in my shirt lol ##plum ##deaf ##blind ##doublemerle ##fyp ##fypage ##cute ##dog
♬ Surrender - Natalie Taylor
In just five days, the video has been viewed 51 million times and racked up over 12.5 million likes.
The comments section is full of support for Plum — and some emotional responses from TikTok users and even celebrities.
"Not being dramatic, but I would die for that dog," one commenter wrote.
"why am I crying," YouTube star and makeup guru Manny Mua commented on the video.
The verified TikTok account for the grammy-award winning duo The Chainsmokers added that video triggered "the feels."
The mini Australian shepherd's fans clamoring for more content are in luck — Mann has posted more dog content on TikTok and Instagram, from Plum's first taste of yogurt to her romps in the house with her new friends.
@aiden_m365 Plum enjoying yogurt for the first time ❤️ ##plum ##deaf ##blind ##doublemerle ##fyp ##fypage ##cute ##dog
♬ Control - Aaron Taos
@aiden_m365 Plum is living her best life lol ##plum ##deaf ##blind ##doublemerle ##fyp ##fypage ##fyp ##cute
♬ Run - AWOLNATION
Other highlights include Plum checking out the shower and walking her fans through her daily routine.
@aiden_m365 My deaf and blind baby plum always checkin in on daddy ❤️ ##dog ##transftm ##ftm ##fyp ##bestfriend ##trans
♬ Pompeii - Bastille
@aiden_m365 What it’s like to be plum ##plum ##deaf ##blind ##dog ##cute ##doublemerle
♬ Crystal Dolphin - Engelwood
While Mann did not expect the video to go viral — he insists he wouldn't have worn a shirt with a hole if he'd known how many people would see it — he hopes that viral fame will draw attention to two causes close to his heart.
First, he hopes that Plum's story will bring awareness to a particular issue in dog-breeding called double merle breeding. When two merle-colored
The breeding practice, Mann believes, is the reason for Plum's condition, and he hopes to shed light on what has been referred to as a "lethal genetic practice."
Mann, who is trans, has another goal for his viral fame: to connect with and inspire the trans community.
"With myself being trans and plum also being 'different' I hope it shows that no matter how different beings are, everyone deserves love and a chance at a happy life," he said.
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