No bones about it: Noodle the pug has become a viral sensation.
The pooch and his owner, Jonathan Graziano, have taken social media by storm thanks to a game they play each morning on TikTok called “No Bones,” in which they determine if Noodle will stand or flop down. Millions of fans have been using the silly videos to determine what kind of day they will have.
“Noodle has brought joy to so many people online. I can’t believe it," Graziano told TODAY in a visit to Studio 1A Wednesday. “This ‘no bones’ video is something that I would just do as a silly little ritual for us in the morning to check in and see how he was doing. And then it took off.
"People starting using it as a forecast for how their day was going to go and I leaned into it. We all need a little positivity right now.”
If Noodle, 13, flops down, it’s a “no bones” day and people are advised that it may be wise not to take any chances. If he stands, it’s a “bones” day, giving people the idea they can go out and face the day with confidence and maybe take a few risks.
That's not to say that "no bones" means it will be a bad day, though.
“A bones day is a day where you just have to go after your ambition or a task you were outing off. A no bones day is a day when you just permission to wear soft clothes, self-care, take a bath," Graziano said.
Graziano’s videos have generated millions of views and the #nobones hashtag has nearly 240 million views. There have been about 200 million videos made about Noodle, proving that fans are all “bones” after watching him.
The game is not just some flimsy internet fad, either. Graziano, who adopted Noodle when the dog was 7, says he has gotten some real world evidence of the impact the pooch is having on people.
“It’s been overwhelming. Again, it’s been so positive," he said. "I get mentions from people who say they it was a ‘bones day’ so they decided to propose to their partner. They put a down payment on their house. “A woman the other day said it was a ‘bones day,’ so she bought a lotto ticket and won half a million dollars.
Graziano is just happy that he and Noodle can help spread some cheer.
“He’s the light of my life and to share him with people is really, really special,” he said.