Is it a ‘Bones’ or ‘No Bones’ Day? A Pug on TikTok Reveals the Day’s Mood

When 30-year-old New Yorker Jonathan Graziano first started posting videos of his 13-year-old rescue Pug, Noodle, he had no idea the impact his elderly dog would have. The videos capture Graziano gingerly propping up his dog. If Noodle rises, ready to start the day, Graziano pronounces it a “bones day,” a day for getting things done. If Noodle sinks back into the bed, not so much.

Graziano began posting the videos to TikTok in August 2021, but they really started getting traction toward the end of October, with #nobones trending on Twitter and viewers eager for the day’s prophecy. “IS IT A NO BONES DAY OR DO WE HAVE BONES??” one user wrote while awaiting the video. Millions began referencing the videos to see what kind of day is in store for them.

“You’ve got to treat yourself today,” Graziano narrates in a decidedly ‘bones day’ TikTok video viewed more than 13.7 million times. “The Japanese fried chicken you were going to order for lunch? Get the curry to dip it in. All those festive gourds? Buy them. That raise you deserve, but haven’t asked for yet? You totally deserve it. Ask for it.”

Wear soft pants today. No hard pants on a 'no bones' day. Say no to plans
 

On the other hand, if Noodle simply refuses to stand up, softly collapsing back into the bed in favour of further slumber, it’s a ‘no bones’ day. “Be kind to yourself,” says Graziano in a recent ‘no bones’ day video. “I’m talking kind, like order-a-bunch-of-candles-online kind. Right, I know it’s not the $10 sale, but that should not stop you from living your truth. Go to the gym today. But don’t go into the gym. Walk past the gym and into the Chipotle next door. Get chips and guac, you deserve it. And remember, today is a day for kindness. If you were going to call your sister today and tell her the bridesmaid dresses she chose would better serve as drop cloths than garments, maybe save that.”

This doesn’t mean that ‘no bones’ days are a bummer. “I don’t think they’re bad days,” Graziano told the New York Times. “I think they are days where you just need to be very kind to yourself, sensitive of others, wear your sweatpants, take a bubble bath, self-care. That kind of thing. That’s certainly how Noodle handles his no bones days.”

The videos have struck a chord, inspiring tribute songs (lyrics: “If it’s a ‘no bones’ day I just stay in bed, Noodle said it’s fine if I don’t get dressed”) and even tweets from politicians, such as Gov. John Bel Edwards of Louisiana proclaiming a ‘bones day’ a great day to get a Covid-19 vaccine.

“All right, Louisiana: Today is a bones day,” the governor said in a tweeted video. “And while every day is a great day to get your vaccination, today is an extraordinarily good day.”

Pro hockey teams have also gotten in on the fun with the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche attributing a loss to a ‘no bones’ day.

Graziano credits the success of the videos to their lighthearted wholesomeness. They’re a bright corner of the Internet, which can frequently be a very dark, divisive place.

“I think people are just hanging on by a thread,” Mr. Graziano said. “I think people are tired. I think they’re scared. I think they’re stressed out, and I think they really need a distraction.”

He receives countless notes from people who Noodle inspired, including an 80-year-old who got out of bed because Noodle did.

“Noodle has brought so much joy to so many people online I can’t believe it,” Graziano said on the Today show. “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.”

Graziano says he’ll continue posting as long as Noodle is comfortable, so if you’re in need of someone to tell you whether to seize the day or keep those sweatpants on, look no further than this oracle Pug.

This article originally appeared in the award-winning Modern Dog magazine. Subscribe today!