A recent TikTok video of a dog getting confused on a walk has left viewers in stitches.
The owner, known on TikTok as @theythemtheo, took Arlo the border collie on an evening stroll. With the nights coming earlier and earlier, Arlo’s harness was equipped with a red flashlight to help lead the way. However, the owner jokingly thought Arlo’s reaction to it might not put him in the same category as the “world’s smartest dog breed.”
Border collies often top the chart of the smartest dog breed. Newsweek previously reported that these dogs understand new commands with fewer than five repetitions and they’ll obey the first command 95 percent of the time. They can follow directions via hand signals, whistles or their owner’s voice.
Arlo couldn’t quite grasp where a red light was coming from during his walk in a November 14 TikTok video. As he strutted down the sidewalk, he saw the red light in the corner of his eye, immediately stopped and whipped his head around. But as soon as he looked at the wall next to him, the light disappeared.
This continued several times, with his confusion growing each time the light vanished. Jokingly, the owner wondered how he is among the smartest dog breed.
Viewers couldn’t stop cracking up over Arlo. The TikTok clip amassed over 1.1 million views and 111,100 likes as of Tuesday.
“I guess something stopped his stride,” commented a TikToker.
Someone wrote what Arlo might have been thinking: “What sorcery is this?”
Defending Arlo, one viewer said: “I would be suspicious too!”
But others shared their concerns over the laser. The American Kennel Club reported that while laser pointer movements trigger a dog’s prey drive, they can also confuse dogs. The laser disappears and there is no closure for them, which can create obsessive-compulsive behavior. The dogs who exhibit these behavioral issues can become frustrated, confused and anxious.
The owner addressed those concerns: “Arlo is a very happy and healthy dog! She gets tons of love and stimulation and we never encourage her to play with lights or shadows. This was from a trial walk with A harness light as we are in the dark British winter, and we obviously haven’t used the light again…”
Newsweek reached out to @theythemtheo via TikTok for additional information.
@theythemtheo/TikTok
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