Video showing owner teaching dog to paddleboard goes viral

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 been viewed 1.8 million times since it was posted on June 20. It begins with the woman inflating a paddleboard while her loyal Irish Setter lies nearby and watches the preparations. To encourage her furry friend, the woman sprinkles a few treats on the paddleboard. The curious pup eagerly climbs onto the board to enjoy the treats, showing early signs of interest and obedience.

Later in the clip, the woman puts a life jacket on the dog. Then they are seen out by the water, ready to begin their paddleboarding adventure. With a hand signal from the woman, the dog confidently climbs onto the board.

As they glide across the water, the serene and happy pup lies quietly on the paddleboard, gazing at the beautiful scenery as the woman paddles forward. A caption shared with the post simply reads: “He loves it.”

The dog’s reaction to paddleboarding is not surprising. Irish Setters are “among the most agile hunting dogs,” according to the American Kennel Club, and “they are eager to please and respond to patient, positive training.”

Teaching a dog to paddleboard is not only a fun and rewarding experience, but it’s also a great way to provide pets with an active and enriching life. Keeping your dog active is important to their health and well-being.

A study published in August 2022 in the online journal Plus one said that “dogs that exercise less frequently or less intensely are more likely to be overweight.” The study added that “a more holistic approach to changing both diet and exercise routine is needed” to treat and prevent obesity in dogs.

Outdoor adventures with your dog can be a healthy change for your puppy.

A study from January 2022 in Animals found that environmental enrichment (EE) activities resulted in a “significant increase” in the frequency of relaxation behaviors and a “significant decrease” in alarm and stress behaviors in dogs.

“EE is generally described as a technique that aims to improve the quality of life of captive and domesticated animals by providing additional and transient environmental stimuli to promote psychological and physiological well-being,” the study states.

It was also said that “species play (playing with other dogs) and playhouse activities” “showed the greatest positive behavior change overall, compared to the
other activities.”

‘So smart’

The heartwarming clip delighted TikTok users, who praised the dog’s behavior and the woman’s training method.

User Flossy noted the dog’s admirable behavior and wrote, “He is such a good boy.”

User @girlandhercamera highlighted the dog’s intelligence, saying, “What an amazing pup! So intelligent.” And user 1184844680309 simply expressed his admiration with a monosyllabic comment: “Smart.”

User eemcdb praised the training method, calling it “Brilliant training to be happy on the board.”

Ames commented on the dog’s well-being, saying, “Beautiful setter living his best life.”

Padstow, the Irish Setter, added: “This is the sweetest thing.”

The video also resonated with users who enjoy adventures with their pets. Jessie wrote, “I set up the paddleboard, turn around and my Pom is on it before we even hit the water and are ready to go. I love a dog that loves adventure as much as I do!”

Newsweek has reached out to the original poster for comment via TikTok. The video has not been independently verified.

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