Hearts Melt at What Dog Does Every Afternoon When He Sees the School Bus

Newsweek

08-06-2025

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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A dog has developed the most heartwarming daily habit whenever he catches sight of a yellow school bus outside the family home.
Every day around the same time, Thor watches and waits. He knows exactly what to look out for and, considering he's a dog, has a pretty good idea of when to expect it.
"We brought Thor home in November of 2023," Deanna Rogers told Newsweek. The mom, who lives with her husband and two young sons in Cape May Court House, New Jersey, said that, before Thor, they had a very specific idea in mind for what kind of dog they wanted.
"We specifically wanted a German shepherd because they're known for their loyalty to their family," Rogers said. "Because we live on a very busy main road, we wanted a dog who wouldn't be so willing to run off."
In a busy household that also includes two rescue ponies, a pair of goats and some chickens, Thor plays an important role in keeping the peace and appears to thrive in it.
"He could spend all day outside, just keeping an eye on the farm animals and watching our boys play," Rogers said. "His favorite thing to do is definitely very long walks and car rides! He is insanely smart and protective without coming across as intimidating. When it comes down to it, he's a big baby."
Thor's intelligence shouldn't come as a shock. Stanley Coren, author of The Intelligence of Dogs and professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia's Department of Psychology, ranks the breed among the most intelligent.
"According to my research, the seven dog breeds with the highest working and obedience intelligence, starting with the brightest are: Border collie, poodle, German shepherd, golden retriever, Doberman pinscher, Shetland sheepdog and Labrador retriever," Coren told Newsweek.
However, Thor appears especially smart, if a video posted to Rogers' TikTok, @deannarogers_, is anything to go by. It' is a compilation of the heartwarming daily habit Thor has picked up when Rogers' kids come home from school.
"Thor started really becoming aware of the boys' school routine this year," Rogers said. "In the afternoon, he would start watching out the window around the time he knew they came home, anticipating the big yellow school bus to arrive out front of our house."
One day, Thor opted to take things one step further. "He just decided to go greet the boys at the foot of the bus steps," Rogers said.
Things quickly escalated from there in the sweetest way imaginable. "After that, some of the kids would call his name and he would go right onto the bus, take a lap down the aisle and head off," Rogers said. "It became a regular occurrence."
Thor's antics have made him a firm favorite with everyone at her sons' school. "Not only do our kids love seeing Thor greet them at the bus, all of the other kids and the bus driver love it, too," Rogers said.
Now Thor's adorable escapades have gone viral, with the compilation clip posted to Rogers' TikTok, showing his regular visits to the bus, going viral with more than 23,000 views and counting.
"He loves your son so much!! Good doggy," one viewer wrote, with a second commenting: "Oh my God this is the cutest, dogs deserve the world." A third meanwhile admitted they were "crying on the toilet" watching the footage.
The response has blown Rogers away but, given how much she knows and loves Thor, it is not a surprise to see others feeling the same.
"When I shared the video, I knew people would feel the love that our dog has for our children and it would make people smile," Rogers said. "Dogs are just the best, but our Thor is really up there with the best of the best."
It looks like quite a few New Jersey school kids would agree.