A video of a woman teaching her “smart” Irish setter how to paddleboard has captivated viewers on TikTok.
The clip, posted by user @flotteliselotte, has received 1.8 million views since it was shared on June 20. It begins with the woman inflating a paddleboard while her loyal Irish setter lies nearby, observing the preparations. To encourage her furry friend, the woman scatters a few treats on top of the paddleboard. The curious pup eagerly climbs onto the board to savor the treats, showing early signs of interest and compliance.
Later in the clip, the woman fits a life jacket onto the canine. They are then seen outdoors by the water, ready to embark on their paddleboarding adventure. With a hand signal from the woman, the dog confidently gets on the board.
As they glide across the water, the serene and happy pup lies calmly on the paddleboard, looking out at the beautiful scenery while the woman paddles forward. A caption shared with the post simply says: “He loves it.”
The dog’s reaction to paddleboarding is unsurprising. Irish setter dogs are “among the swiftest of all sporting dogs,” according to the American Kennel Club, and “they are eager to please and will respond to patient, positive training.”
Teaching a dog to paddleboard is not only a fun and rewarding experience but also a great way to ensure an active and enriching life for pets. Keeping your dog active is important for its health and well-being.
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An August 2022 study published in the online journal PLOS One said that “dogs who exercise less frequently or less intensely are more likely to be overweight.” The study added that “a more holistic approach to changing both dietary and exercise routine needs to be made” to treat and prevent obesity in dogs.
Outdoor adventures with your dog can provide a healthy change of scene for your pup.
A January 2022 study in Animals found that environmental enrichment (EE) activities resulted in “a significant increase” in the frequency of relaxation behaviors and “a significant reduction” in alert and stress behaviors in dogs.
“EE is commonly described as a technique designed to enhance the quality of life in captive and domestic animals by providing additional and temporary environmental stimuli to promote psychological and physiological well being,” the study said.
It also said that “conspecific play [playing with other dogs] and playhouse activities” showed “the greatest overall positive behavior change when compared to the
other activities.”
‘So Intelligent’
The heartwarming clip has delighted TikTok users, who praised the dog’s behavior and the woman’s training method.
User Flossy noted the dog’s admirable behavior, writing, “He’s such a good boy.”
User @girlandhercamera pointed out the dog’s intelligence, saying. “What a gorgeous pup! So intelligent.” And user1184844680309 simply expressed admiration with a one-word comment: “Smart.”
User eemcdb praised the training method, calling it “Genius Training to be happy on the board.”
Ames commented on the dog’s well-being, saying: “Gorgeous setter living his best life.”
Padstow the Irish Setter added: “This is the cutest.”
The video also resonated with users who enjoy adventures with their pets. Jessie wrote: “I’ll be setting the paddle board up and I’ll turn around and my pom will already be on it before we even get to the water ready to go. I love a dog that loves adventure as much as I do!”
Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok. The video has not been independently verified.
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