Dogs don’t always learn from their mistakes, but one guardian dog refuses to repeat the error he made once and now has to take a detour every time he walks past a certain point.
A video posted on TikTok by user @baileysbarn revealed the peculiar reason why Gunner, the Anatolian shepherd dog, must take a minor detour each time he walks through the gate outside their home. Instead of following the path directly, Gunner steps to the left and walks along the flower bed for a few steps because he “stepped in a puddle 572 days ago,” and he’s never lived it down.
The poor dog refuses to risk getting his paws wet again and feels much happier taking this alternative route instead. His owner joked that he will “take on a coyote” like it’s nothing “but won’t step in a puddle.” Well, who can blame him?
The video has gone viral on TikTok, and in just a matter of days it’s already amassed over 2.2 million views and more than 211,200 likes at the time of writing.
A stock image of an Anatolian guardian dog standing beside a pool. Gunner the livestock guardian in Canada refuses to get his paws wet in a puddle, so he always has to take a detour when returning home.
Lyndsey Sumpton/Getty Images
Anatolian shepherd dogs are known for being protective, intelligent, and incredibly loyal, which the American Kennel Club (AKC) says is what makes them such remarkable working dogs. Standing up to 29 inches tall at the shoulder and weighing as much as 150 pounds, their muscular frame can be very imposing to predators who dare to approach their territory.
Whether they’re protecting livestock, children, their own pack of dogs, or just their family, the AKC explains that the breed is always responsive and adaptable to any situation. It doesn’t matter who they’re protecting because they will do it with such intensity and devotion.
The breed only requires a moderate amount of exercise, so one or two long walks is usually sufficient for them. However, socialization from a young age is vitally important, otherwise the breed tends to be very wary towards others and their protective instincts kick in. After all, they are notoriously independent and it’s in their instinct to take care of themselves without instruction. This can make training somewhat challenging, so it should be started early on.
Needless to say that after Gunner’s antics went viral, social media users can’t get enough of his insistence on taking a detour every time. The memory of walking through a puddle “lives permanently in his head,” and he refuses to repeat that same mistake again—even if it is bone dry underfoot (or indeed, under paw).
With over 660 comments on TikTok so far, the internet has lauded the guardian dog for doing whatever it takes to stay dry.
One comment reads: “nothing wrong with taking a detour on the walking route just to be sure.”
Another TikToker wrote: “It’s still a bit damp, better safe than sorry.”
“He said fool me once,” joked another social media user.
While a fellow dog owner shared their own similar experience: “This is SO funny. We have to detour to the same bush every day because a year ago she found half a bagel in it.”
Newsweek reached out to @baileysbarn via TikTok for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.
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