Dogs are known as man’s best friend for a good number of reasons. To be honest, they can even be more compassionate and empathic than some people at times. Take for instance Billy the dog. This 10-year-old lurcher from London imitated his injured and limping owner simply out of sympathy.
Recently, his owner Russell Jones took to the Facebook group Lurcher Link Rescue Chat to share a heartfelt clip of the pooch sympathizing with his current condition. The video captured Jones, whose right leg is in a plaster cast, struggling to walk with his crutches. Walking alongside him was his pet Billy who also appeared to be seemingly injured as he hopped with one paw above the ground.
Meet Billy the dog who recently went viral for faking a limp to empathize with his injured owner
Indeed, the footage of the pair sticking with each other through tough times has instantly melted the hearts of many. But this heartwarming incident soon turned into a hilarious one as Jones revealed that it was all an act. Well, at least for his buddy Billy. In the post, Jones wrote, “Cost me £300 in vet fees and X-rays, nothing wrong just sympathy. Love him.” In turn, Billy earned the nickname “limping lurcher” due to his cunning yet equally caring act.
Apparently, the accident happened last year. Jones broke his ankle and had his leg in plaster for seven weeks. His partner Michelle first posted the video of Billy’s fake limp back in June last year. However, it was only when Jones shared the video to the Facebook group Lurcher Link Rescue Chat that Billy’s antics went viral. As of writing, the video has already garnered over 40K reactions and 55K shares.
Interestingly, there’s a reason behind the limping lurcher’s behaviour. Apparently, according to world-renowned dog whisperer Cesar Millan, pooches are “natural imitators,” just like humans. As pack animals, they tend to observe and replicate other canines’ actions to fit into the group. Surprisingly, they exhibit this behavior even when around humans too. The canine expert has shed some light on this topic on his website Cesar’s Way.
“Experts think that dogs’ tendency to copy us came about through thousands of years of selective breeding and training. Over time, it grew to become a built-in reaction.”
Essentially, canines learn by observing and repeating. So, if you’re looking to teach your pooch some tricks, Milan suggests “matching your body movements to whatever you’re trying to teach” as this contributes to the learning process.
Billy the Lurcher’s compassionate act impressed people online
Source: Russell Jones