Eddie is not a morning person, like many of us.
The 8-year-old -- a Yorkie mix -- simply does not like waking up.
WATCH ANYTIME FOR FREE
Stream NBC10 Boston news for free, 24/7, wherever you are. |
"When I first got him, he didn't seem to hate mornings, but the more he lived here, a few months in, he started getting grumpy," said Lisa Mattuchio of her dog. "I was laughing because now he knows he is in his forever home."
Mattuchio adopted Eddie three years ago. He cannot use his hind legs and instead uses a scooter to get around.
Get updates on what's happening in Boston to your inbox. Sign up for our News Headlines newsletter.
But it's that strong dislike of waking up that has made him an international star.
The battle to wake him up each morning, documented daily on TikTok, has exploded online. @eddieonwheels' wake-ups, or lack thereof, have pulled in more than 620,000 followers and 12.3 million likes.
"I hear from people all over the country, all over the world. Egypt, Greece, Australia. 'We start our day looking at Eddie videos because he makes us smile and we love him!'" Mattuchio said.
Mattuchio, who used to work as a nurse at a veterinary hospital, says she has made it a mission to provide a home to senior and special needs dogs. In addition to Eddie, she has three other dogs that were looking for their forever home and found it with her in Saugus, Massachusetts.
"It is important to me that I try and share and send a message that you should adopt a senior dog or a special needs dog, it is just the right thing to do," Mattuchio said. "We go to dog parks, we walk every day, we hike. They are seniors and special needs but you can do as much with them as a two-year-old lab."
Mattuchio says she also has used the TikTok platform to raise money and awareness.
"I have used Eddie's platform to raise money for other dogs and that has been very successful, so I am very proud of that, helping other dogs get wheels built, and physical therapy," Mattuchio said.
More TikTok News
She added that the daily posts come naturally.
"Eddie gives me content everyday, I don't have to put any thought into it. He is a character," she said.
Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox.
With all that exposure, Eddie is becoming a celebrity of sorts.
"Eddie gets recognized now on occasion and that is really fun," she said. "I have had someone reach out and say, 'Oh, my granddaughter was Eddie for Halloween.' I don't even know what she did, probably crawled around and was grumpy," Mattuchio said.
She wants to change the way the world sees senior and special needs dogs.
"It is fun to know that a 60-second post is making people so happy across the world," she said. "I have had people reach out to say I am adopting a senior dog this weekend."