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Blake's owner sings and he "sings" along.

When a dog howls along to music, are they complaining because the music hurts their ears, or are they actually trying to sing along?

Most likely, it's the latter—or something like it. According to the American Kennel Club, research shows that canines do actually have a sense of pitch and can differentiate between different tones. That ability stems from their wolf ancestors, who each howl at a different pitch as more and more wolves join in on a group howl.

So when Blake the rescue Rottweiler joins his owner in a viral TikTok video duet, perhaps he's really trying to "sing" along with her. Whether he's singing or howling or a mixture of both, it's as impressive as it is entertaining.

Blake's owner starts her video singing, "I'm about to go lay down," as Blake looks around and moves his mouth like he's getting ready to chime in. When she hits a particularly forceful note, he joins her with a gruff howl.

The two sing along together for a bit, but it's the moment when he actually matches her pitch and then appears to harmonize with her that has people rolling. Watch:

@chopfromgta

Reply to @mc.lex please watch until the end 😭🥺🤍 #dogsoftiktok #rottweiler #rottweilersoftiktok #petsoftiktok #animals

Then that punctuating howl at the end. Well done, Blake.

Blake has made a name for himself on TikTok not only with his musical stylings, but with his adorable personality. Watch him get super excited when he thinks Papa is coming and taking him for a walk.

@chopfromgta

Replying to @Jesse Okonek I think it’s clear who he loves more 😭😂 #rottweiler #rottweilersoftiktok #petsoftiktok #WorldPrincessWeek #AEJeansSoundOn #rottiesoftiktok #rottiepurr #rottiemom #rottweilerpuppy #rottweilerlife #rottweilerfamily #rottweilerlove #rottierumble

People also love his self-control and patience.

@chopfromgta

Reply to @prettygirl.tataaa he has a seat at the dinner table 😂💀 #TheHarderTheyFall #rottweiler #dogsofttiktok #youredone #bestfriend

Rottweilers are often feared and have a reputation for being aggressive. However, according to U.S. Service Animals, Rottweilers are highly intelligent and more easily trained than many other dog breeds, making them obedient dogs when they are well-trained. They do have some latent aggression and are prone to biting in play, and they make excellent guard dogs due to their naturally suspicious nature. If they respect their owner and are well-disciplined, they can be a loyal and protective companion.

If you want to see more of Blake, follow @chopfromgta on TikTok.


This article originally appeared three years ago.

Beautiful photo of a Springer Spaniel

Jinky, the Springer Spaniel, has his own social media page, where his doggie parents document his beautiful life in Yorkshire, England. As the photos suggest, he loves playing in the mud. Springers are active, love the great outdoors, and are known for having a lot of energy.

Recently, Jinky’s mom took him on a walk during a loose-leash training session when he took an unexpected turn that revealed where his doggie daddy had secretly been taking him. Loose-leash training is a method trainers use to teach dogs to walk on a leash with some slack without pulling or going after other dogs.

Here’s the big reveal that got daddy in the dog house.

After Jinky turned to walk into the village pub as if he had done it a million times before, the wife thought it was hilarious and asked her husband to let her know she was on to him. "It was really funny," she told Newsweek. "I sent the clip straight to him."

The clip was quite a hit on Instagram, where it has been seen over 4 million times and has over 200,000 likes. Many of the commenters suspected that there were many great friends and treats inside the pub, and that’s why Jinky wanted to go back. Others thought the wife should have let Jinky into the pub for a pint or two.

"Let the lad have a pint," Jack Messerli joked in the comments. "My friend's dog does this, drags me to all the pubs, even if they're closed," Milo added.


This article originally appeared last year.

Joy

Shelter dog doesn't know what to do with her first toy but melts when offered affection

The stray pup's smelly, itchy skin condition didn't stop Rocky Kanaka from scooping the sweet girl into his arms.

Rocky Kanaka/YouTube (used with permission)

Katie's had a rough life so far, but she's starting to get the care she needs.

When Rocky Kanaka first met Katie, a scruffy beige Australian Shepherd mix, he thought she was a senior dog. As it turned out, the shelter pup was only about a year old. She had just been found by a good samaritan as a stray, her fur and skin in terrible shape, her paws swollen and her spirit muted. She didn't even want to look at Kanaka when he first entered the kennel to sit with her.

That all changed as he took the time to sit with her and earn her trust. Kanaka has gained a huge following on YouTube with his videos sitting with shelter dogs, and his way with them is truly inspiring. He brings his own home-baked treats and a huge amount of patience and compassion, helping abandoned animals learn that humans can be kind and caring companions.

Katie is one of many dogs Kanaka has visited, and her behavior in the kennel showed him that she hadn't had much of a chance in her short life to learn how to be a dog.

For instance, when Kanaka offered her a stuffed unicorn to play with, she didn't know what to do with it. He tried a squeaky toy, which she also didn't know what to do with and found overwhelming after a few squeaks. She took Kanaka's treats, but not immediately and not in the way a dog who understands the concept of treats would.

But throughout the video, the stray pup responded to Kanaka's affection and love by melting right into it. She even wanted to sit in his lap toward the end, but didn't seem to know how. Kanaka scooped her up, despite the foul smell her skin condition created, and it's clear that this pupper just loves being loved.

Watch:

It's hard for animals with obvious health issues, especially something as visible as a skin condition that makes them look and smell bad, to attract people looking to adopt. But by taking half an hour to get to know her, Kanaka helped us all look past all that and see Katie's sweet spirit shine through.

So many people fell in head over heels for Katie through this video:

"OMG, The person who gets her will have the best dog as she is so obviously starved for affection and so willing to give it back ten fold."

"That dog doesn't have an aggressive bone in her body. she was instantly ready for you to pet her."

"Her little tail wag broke my heart for what’s she’s been through but also lifted my spirits that she has a strength to survive and become a loved family member."

"It's shocking how neglected she looks but her desire to be loved is so strong. She's going to bring such joy to her forever home."

"I consider myself somewhat of a tough guy.... I'm from the streets, had a crazy hard life, i did 9 yrs in prison, seen it all, done it all and ain't scared of nothing... I'm telling you that because in spite all that, when i see videos like this, i start crying like a 5 yr old girl...Goes to show you that what life has done to them, we can relate, and we see it in animals that have been hurt by others and part if me wants to knock out someone that would hurt a dog or kitty like that. Animals bring out the love and compassion we've forgotten because we know they're teaching us what we definitely need to learn. What is truly considered, unconditional love...."

Rocky Kanaka's work with dogs is both inspiring and informative, and he's succeeded in helping so many dogs find forever homes instead of languishing in shelters because they don't make the best first impression. Not long after this video aired, Katie was rescued and will hopefully continue to get the tender care and kindness she deserves.

Follow Katie's journey on Kanaka's website here. You can also follow Rocky Kanaka's channels on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram.


This article originally appeared last year.

@letsgoripley/TikTok, used with permission

What a smart doggo.

Speech-language pathologist Christina Hunger and her dog Stella were the first to experiment with talking buttons in 2019. Since then there has been a surge of online content showing other pet parents using similar kits to communicate with their own pups.

The most fascinating aspect of this phenomenon is the question of whether or not canines are able to understand full-blown complicated sentences beyond “treat” and “outside.”

While the overall jury is still out on that, scientifically speaking, dogs like Ripley seem to make an incredibly compelling case for believing the hype.

The Australian Shepherd has an entire TikTok account documenting his impressive talk button journey, but a video posted on March 28, 2024, feels next-level.

In the clip, Ripley presses the “smell” button as his parents eat lunch. When that doesn’t get their attention, he begins to bark.

“What do you smell?” a voice finally asks. To which Ripley replies “outside,” followed by “gardens.”

Confused, someone asks, “It smells like the gardens outside?”

Ripley’s parents had apparently just started a load of laundry before making lunch, and the detergent had been spilling all over the floor from the washing machine. Ripley had been smelling the detergent, which was reminiscent of the gardens outside.

Unfortunately, they didn’t put two and two together until after they went back to the laundry room. Hence the moral of the story: “You should always listen to your dog.”

@letsgoripley He’s so freakin’ smart! #Talkingdog #letsgoripley #ripleytalks #fluentpet #australianshepherd #dogs ♬ original sound - Ripley the Australian Shepherd

Ripley’s amazing feat prompted lots of praise from viewers.

“All of the treats,” one person wrote.

Another added, “I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, he is brilliant.”

Others were quick to compliment the breed. And rightfully so, as Australian Shepherds are known for their remarkable intelligence, as well as their strong drive and exuberance, according to the American Kennel Club. They thrive when they have a job, and the way Ripley jumped into action is a pretty great example of this characteristic.

So, while we might not have definite evidence for the efficiency of talk buttons, one thing remains abundantly clear—our dogs are trying to communicate with us in whatever way they can. All we need to do is listen.

Check out even more of Ripley's talk button shenanigans on TikTok.


This article originally appeared last year.