A TikTok couple undergoing IVF in the hopes of getting pregnant let their dog decide the sex of their baby in the ultimate game of fetch.
After many undiagnosed infertility issues, Serena Cukjati, 35, and her husband Jacob opted for “in vitro fertilisation,” otherwise known as IVF. The pair were exhausted by the constant disappointment every time a pregnancy test came back negative. However, through the hardship, their cherished goldendoodle Charlie would always uplift their spirits with cuddles on the couch. “There were so many low points in our journey to conceive, and he would pull me out of the darkness,” Serena told Today.
During their IVF journey, the Texas-based couple found out that they had two female embryos and one male embryo. Serena recalled feeling “ecstatic” and panicked upon hearing the news. “We were ecstatic. But all of the sudden we had this decision in front of us - do we transfer the boy or the girl? We just couldn’t decide,” she said. “It’s a really cool perk, and a First World problem for sure, but it also felt like a burden. It was just too much.”
Rather than decide themselves, the couple left the decision up to their loyal pet. According to Serena, she felt Charlie deserved recognition for the support he’s provided her and Jacob during their difficult time.
Serena took to her TikTok to post a video of Charlie choosing the baby’s gender on 30 June. She and Jacob explained that one lone tennis ball was labeled, “girl,” and another, “boy.”
Charlie and his Labrador retriever sister Kiki were shown on screen before Jacob chucked the two balls in front of him, prompting the dogs to take off in the same direction. While Kiki isn’t the biggest fan of fetch, Charlie appeared torn between which ball to pick up and bring back to his mom.
Eventually, the goldendoodle dropped the answer at Serena’s feet. However, the couple didn’t reveal whether it was the boy or girl ball because they plan on making a big announcement after the IVF transfer on 25 July. Although there is a possibility that the embryo won’t implant a pregnancy, Serena and Jacob are remaining positive. “We’re not going to think about it not working,” Serena admitted.
“We are feeling so hopeful and excited for transfer. Each day I feel more steady and ready and we just have an amazing feeling that Baby C is going to stick around,” she told The Independent. “We’re also just so honored to have so many people following along and cheering for our baby and our family.”
As for their decision to leave the decision up to their dog, Serena said she and her husband felt it was the perfect way of “celebrating” Charlie.
“We both thought it was the perfect idea to let him pick,” Serena explained. “So many times, dogs get the short end of the stick. They support us when we’re going through a hard time, but when we’re doing well, they’re not as needed. So, this was a way of celebrating Charlie and incorporating him into this new season of life.”
Meanwhile, Charlie is sticking to his pick. Serena revealed that, when her niece came over, she threw both balls again to see which Charlie would go for, and he grabbed the same one. “We have both balls laying around here, but he’ll only play with that one ball. He’s fully invested,” Serena told Today.
Serena’s followers are eager to hear the result, flooding the comments section under her TikTok with their own guesses. “It’s the boy, I think,” one excited fan wrote, while another said: “Charlie picked a girl. The clue is in the comments.”
“Boy! You can tell by the mark on the tennis ball,” one passionate person noted.
