The couple’s dog usually refuses to jump due to his old age (stock photo) (Image: Karen Images via Getty Images)
The saying goes that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but that doesn’t mean they can’t astonish you. A couple with a nine-year-old dog were left astounded when they recently viewed their pet camera and discovered their furry friend doing something they thought he was unable to do.
Stephani Barnes and Riley Day adopted their Labrador and Pitbull mix, Waylon, from an animal shelter when he was just a pup. However, now at the age of nine, the pair are trying to minimise how much Waylon jumps due to his ageing joints.
Despite Waylon’s continued enthusiasm for chasing squirrels and swimming, his joints often ache after a day of such activities. As a result, his owners are always ready to assist him onto furniture and provide him with supplements to maintain his bone health.
Nowadays, Waylon refuses to leap onto the couple’s bed independently, always requesting to be lifted up, even on days when he hasn’t been particularly active outdoors. The couple are more than happy to help him, naturally, but they’ve recently suspected that their dog’s refusal to do it himself might be a bit of a ruse.
In a TikTok video, Stephani demonstrated the contrast between Waylon’s behaviour when his owners are present compared to his antics when he’s alone – and the difference is striking.
The pair have installed a pet camera in their lounge, which has captured Waylon leaping onto tables and sofas without any hesitation whatsoever. Stephani explained she initially reviewed the pet camera footage after returning home to discover her rubbish bin had been toppled over, wanting to determine whether Waylon was responsible.
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The footage revealed he had indeed knocked it over, though the child-proof mechanism prevented him from accessing the bin to rummage for food. Nevertheless, shortly afterwards, the senior dog sprang onto a table – behaviour he never displays when his owners are present and lavishing attention upon him.
Stephani told Newsweek: “He couldn’t get into [the rubbish bin], so I almost stopped watching, but then immediately after he gave up on that, I was surprised to see him hop up on the table like it was nothing and like he had done it a million times.”
The household also includes another dog, Jester, whom they had assumed was responsible for the disturbed items in their kitchen. Yet the pet camera recordings demonstrate it was actually Waylon – and he possesses considerably more vitality than they had recognised.
She continued: “We figured it was Waylon having the accidents since he is getting older, and our much more spry dog, Jester, [was] getting on the counter. Turned out to be the other way around.”
Viewers of the video were charmed by Waylon’s behaviour, with numerous people urging his owners to lift him up whenever he wishes because he’s “probably tired from climbing on the tables”.
One commenter remarked: “Now we know why his bones hurt so much.” Another commented: “Pick that baby up. He is probably tired from climbing on the tables.”
A third recounted their own experience, stating: “My senior dog once got himself up onto the table to steal a loaf of bread, but was too scared to jump down, so he just barked endlessly until I came to help him.”
How to spot arthritis in dogs
Arthritis is a prevalent condition that results in stiff, painful and swollen joints. It’s widespread in humans as well as animals, and whilst it can be hereditary, it can also develop through normal wear and tear as your dog ages.
According to the PDSA, some signs of arthritis in dogs include:
- Stiffness (especially after rest or after walks)
- Limping/lameness
- Narrowing of the hips and back end (weak muscles in the back legs)
- Slowing down on walks
- Being quiet, grumpy or sleeping more
- Low energy (lethargy)
- Saliva-stained fur around painful joints
- Reluctance to jump or climb stairs
- Enlarged or swollen joints
Labradors, springer spaniels, German shepherds, golden retrievers, rottweilers and Bernese mountain dogs are born with an elevated risk of developing arthritis, although any breed can develop the condition with advancing age or following an injury.
For more information on arthritis in dogs and how to treat it, visit the PDSA website.
