A border collie teaching a golden retriever puppy how to play her favorite game has delighted the internet, as internet users praised her for being so patient.
Dog owner Grace Dower, 23, captured the precious moment between her family’s border collie, named Belle, and her golden retriever puppy, Buzz. During the clip, Buzz, who was just 14 weeks old at the time, could be seen struggling to play with the giant tetherball as he didn’t understand how to move it. That’s where Belle stepped in, as she was more than happy to impart her wisdom.
Dower, who resides in Columbus, Ohio, told Newsweek that she thought it was “the cutest thing” ever to see the dogs interacting in such a positive way. She couldn’t resist recording it and sharing it on the golden retriever’s dedicated TikTok account (@thegoldenboybuzz).
“Belle is very athletic and loves to play that game with the tetherball, and I think she was excited that Buzz took an interest,” Dower said. “So, then she started trying to teach him how to do it so they could play together.
“I was so happy to see them getting along. It was a clear depiction of how key Belle was in training a new puppy.”
In the days since the video was shared online, social media users can’t get enough of the adorable encounter. The TikTok post has gone viral with over 276,700 views and more than 40,600 likes at the time of writing.
The caption layered over the video explains that tetherball is Belle’s “favorite game,” so she was delighted to show Buzz how to play.
While Belle and Buzz are now 6 and 3 years old respectively, they’re still very sweet together. They don’t get to spend as much time together as Dower lives in Ohio with Buzz, while Belle remains at the family home in Skaneateles, New York. Fortunately, the dogs still have a wonderful bond, and they often play tetherball when they’re reunited.
“Belle likes order, so she definitely bosses Buzz around. But he is good at following the rules, so they play together all the time, including fetch and swimming in the pool,” Dower said.
The response to the video has been overwhelmingly supportive, as internet users hailed Belle for being so patient with her teaching method. Buzz has certainly captured attention on social media before, but Dower tells Newsweek that the “reaction has been crazy” this time. She’s received messages from people all around the world and the sweet duo was even featured on Good Morning America.
Among the hundreds of responses on TikTok, one commenter wrote: “The way she just sat and watched before trying again.”
Another TikTok user replied: “Can’t wait to see them become besties for the resties.”
Another person said: “This is one of the best things I’ve seen today.”
While one comment reads: “The way she holds the ball still so the pup can try it out.”
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