In a Tik Tok video clip posted October 9th, a man outdoors records his black dog, Maverick, transfixed in the front yard. As he approaches his pup, you can see in the grass an array of scattered black ‘scaredy’ cat decorations fixed into the ground.
Ironically, these fake cat decorations do not appear to be the actual fearful ones. The black labrador appears scared silly in the video clip.
Scaredy cats or dogs?
The owner calls his name and sees Maverick is in a catatonic state. The black lab is so still his tail remains frozen.
Just like a stone statue, he remains ‘on pause.’ You can hear the family laughing from the amusement in the background.
Viewers online were captivated as well and chimed in with their thoughts.
Fans react online
“I’m not convinced he’s not just another decoration.” 😂 – poorkarens
“He looks like u PAUSED him” 😂😂 – Cassie
“Great job on the dog cut out.” 👍🏼- Paul Mondragon
“He watched Jurassic Park, he knows if he moves, he’s dead.” – Navybee133
“[T]his is hilarious – waiting for the cat to make the first move.”-juicemorph
“For a second I was questioning if the dog was real. Not even her tail was moving!” – flaco.taco
“[P]oor baby he got so happy started wagging his tail cuz my dad is here to get me.” – user462428771581
Just freeze
These Halloween decorations intended to be festive caused this dog quite a fright. Dogs can exhibit various odd behaviors when under stress or in unfamiliar territory.
According to Animal Wellness Magazine,
“Dogs show stress in a variety of ways, from trembling and cowering to growling and whining. Alternatively, they may totally freeze, flatten themselves on the ground, or seem “empty”, which are indications they have completely shut down.”
Release
Fortunately, after about one minute, Maverick’s owner got through to his dog and released him from his catatonic state using a reaffirming tone of voice and patience. And in the blink of an eye and the sudden wag of his tail, Maverick returned to normal.
This hilarious clip by this dog owner garnered over 11 million views and 1.7 million likes on Tik Tok.
Share your thoughts
What did you think of this funny viral video? Does decorating your home with festive decor bring out odd behavior in your pet?
Share your experience and leave a comment. If this post brought a smile to your face, share it with a friend to brighten their day.