The first day of school is usually packed with backpacks, nerves and a rush to get everyone out the door on time.
But for one New York family, the morning also included an 83-pound Golden Retriever who apparently decided he was going to school too.
One-year-old Finley slipped out of his family’s home in Victor, New York, as his owner, Ashley Miller, watched her children leave for their first day back.
Before Miller could stop him, Finley raced straight toward the school bus, climbed aboard and started greeting the students like he belonged there.
Miller, a pediatric emergency room nurse, suddenly found herself chasing after him barefoot and still wearing her pajamas.
The hilarious scene unfolded outside the family’s Farmington home while Miller was taking the usual first-day-of-school photos.
Her daughter had specifically asked her to make sure Finley stayed inside before the bus arrived.
Miller headed back toward the house just as the bus pulled up.
That was Finley’s chance.
“He busted through my legs and decided to board the bus to go fetch his siblings,” Miller told 13WHAM ABC.
Once Finley got on board, though, it seems he quickly forgot about the rescue mission.
Miller said the friendly pup looked around, saw a bus full of children and apparently decided he had found the perfect party.
She then had to climb onto the bus herself and retrieve him before he could make his way farther inside.
The bus driver, who was new to the route, reportedly took the chaos in stride.
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Miller joked that she probably owes the driver an apology, but said everyone got a laugh out of the unexpected start to the school year.
And apparently, this kind of thing runs in the family.
Years earlier, the family’s other Golden Retriever, Gus, pulled a similar stunt when Miller’s son was in kindergarten.
Gus reportedly slipped out of his collar and made a break for the school bus too.
Miller said she believes it might simply be a Golden Retriever trait.
“They’re so friendly, and it’s just an open door, open invitation,” she said.
Finley is currently attending obedience school and, according to Miller, is usually a very good listener.
But that changes when his family is involved.
She said Finley becomes especially determined when he thinks he needs to protect or follow them.
The family plans to change up its morning routine to make sure Finley does not get another chance to join the school commute.
Still, Miller said she was not too upset about the chaos.
Instead, she viewed it as a funny reminder that simple moments can bring people a lot of joy.
And judging by the reaction online, plenty of people agreed.
For Finley, the first day of school may have ended before it really began.
But he still managed to make quite an entrance.