It’s no secret that Golden Retrievers are very smart dogs who love to learn and make their pawrents proud. Sirius is a retired service dog with a repertoire of tricks that’s impressing the internet. The senior pooch does a whole lot more than just sitting and shaking, as you’ll see in this video his mom shared on TikTok in mid-June.
Not only can Sirius spin and twirl with the best of them, but he can also hop like a bunny, play dead like a possum, refuse a treat from certain people, and nod his head to say yes, among many other things. You’ll have a hard time picking a favorite trick!
@siriuslysalem The smartest old man. Don’t forget to follow on ig- @ _skelexton • #DogTraining #tasktrained #retiredservicedog #goldenretriever #dogtreats #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #mentalstimulationfordogs
Talk about a very good boy! We could watch Sirius’ tricks all day! Viewers loved watching him perform and left more than 4 thousand comments about it. @aram shared, “I feel like you can train him to do taxes or laundry or something…” and Sirius’ mom replied, “He does help with laundry LOL!” Another commenter said, “That’s the best play dead I’ve ever seen for real!”
A few tricks really stood out for people, @Ricky said, “You taught him how to talk sh*t and hate Trump??!!! You are my HERO!!!!!!” @Lilith added, “His little stompies while talking sh*t!”
Commenter @Kitt shared, “You got the like on ‘What if it’s from Trump?’ LOL!” @Chelle pointed out, “Nobody got the Andy’s coming trick,” in reference to the movie Toy Story. @JefeFrancois said, “I freaking lost it at “worker’s comp” LOL!” and @Delores Hiliary added, “Trump and Voldemort being on the same level took me out!!!” @klc agreed, “They just keep getting better. The self-control with the treats. Oh and “worker’s comp”. LOL!”
Related: Sweet Golden Retriever Lovingly and Patiently Waits for Toddler to Give Him a Treat
Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks
We’ve all heard the saying “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” but that’s not true! According to Purina, it’s a great way to keep senior dogs active, both physically and mentally. “It turns out that you CAN and SHOULD teach an old dog new tricks. Not only will this keep them mentally stimulated as they become a senior, but this will alleviate boredom while keeping the bond strong between you and your old pal.”
The article goes on for tips for success. Keep training sessions short, just 5-10 minutes at a time, focus on remaining patient; it may take an older dog a bit longer than a puppy to ‘get it’, use positive reinforcement and make it fun!
And of course, be mindful of any health issues or injuries your fur baby might have. For example, “If they have joint issues or muscle disorders, then it might be difficult to do tricks like lying down, jumping, or performing repetitive movements. Choose tricks that promote slower and less repetitive movements, such as touch.”