Owner Always Gives Dog a Choice, but It Doesn't Always Work Out for Him

In a video that has quickly gone viral on social media, a dog owner engages her pup in a playful yet deceptive game of choice.

On Tuesday, TikTok user @dariagribova posted a video showing her holding two pieces of paper in front of her dog, each with a different activity written on it: "Go for a walk" and "Take a bath."

Though the pup selects "Go for a walk," the clip—which has received more than 255,600 views and 26,100 likes on TikTok—cuts to the dog getting a bath, with the poster writing in text overlay: "I always give my dog a choice. Too bad he can't read."

Newsweek has contacted @dariagribova for comment via TikTok. We could not verify the details of the case.

@dariagribova

I did what I had to do and I’d do it again #pickacard #toypoodle #spendthedaywithme #dog #dogsoftiktok

♬ original sound - goldenbiscuit.tx

While dogs can't read, they can understand what we tell them, at least partially. WebMD said that dogs can comprehend between 100 and 200 words, though their understanding is based on associative learning rather than literacy.

Some dogs are also good at basic math and can solve easy problems, such as figuring out the best path to get to their favorite toy or treat.

Dogs are also able to tell how their owners are feeling by looking at their faces. In an article on the topic, VCA Animal Hospitals cites a U.K. study by the University of Lincoln that performed a series of experiments to test dogs' ability to recognize facial expressions. It turns out that they're good at it.

The dogs taking part in the test were shown 12 images of people with different facial expressions, VCA said: "two of a person and a dog looking negative or angry, two looking neutral, and two looking positive or smiling." The researchers found that the dogs showed different responses to the different facial expressions.

A stock image of a toy poodle. A dog owner gave her toy poodle a choice between taking a walk or getting a bath, but there turned out to be a major problem for him. A stock image of a toy poodle. A dog owner gave her toy poodle a choice between taking a walk or getting a bath, but there turned out to be a major problem for him. Getty images

In the video's comments section, users expressed their amusement at the poster's "betrayal," with one writing, "Too bad he can't read' GURL!!"

"Bur we can now take that pretty doggie on his/her/it's walk," another added.

"That is not right," a commenter said. "Call animal protection. Taking use of the illetaracy of their baby."

A user wrote, "I was NOT expecting that."

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