Traveling with companion animals can be a daunting task for many pet owners who take the time to train them for journeys, but Cavapoo Sammy showed there could be hilarious consequences to being carrier trained “too hard.”
In a viral video uploaded to TikTok by user anj4prez, puppy Sammy can be seen nonchalantly squeezing his entire body inside the dog carrier as if it was second nature and not that big a deal at all.
But the New York City-based TikToker revealed that it was far from a natural instinct and that Sammy had been well-trained for traveling.
While some dogs have interesting quirks and habits while traveling, Sammy appeared very relaxed in the carrier and seemed ready to be secured inside.
Anj4prez captioned the eight-second video: “When you go too hard with carrier training and it becomes his crack.”
Another caption anj4prez shared on the post proudly declared: “Sammy [is] coming to a plane near you.”
The video, which can also be viewed here, has gone on to be a viral sensation with more than 474,200 views and some 15,500 likes since being uploaded in early October.
Newsweek has contacted anj4prez for comment via TikTok.
Joe Nutkins, a U.K.-based dog training instructor and co-director at Dog Training for Essex and Suffolk, told Newsweek that Sammy’s behavior in the clip likely indicated positive reinforcement had been used during his carrier training, but that the video did not reveal all aspects of what a future journey could entail.
She said: “In this video we see the dog squeeze into the carry case with full intent on getting inside, which will be something they have been rewarded for doing.
“Although, we don’t get to see the carry case being picked up to know if the dog also likes the case due to visiting places or if getting in the case is a trick and the case doesn’t get picked up.
“I’ve taught my own dogs to get into a crate, a suitcase, and a dog carrier before and it’s all broken down into really small stages, rewarding any time the dog moves near the case to investigate it, then rewarding them looking inside or putting a paw on it, etc.
“The rewards can be food, praising, stroking, playing with a toy or really anything a dog enjoys and this will motivate them to repeat the training exercise and progress more.”
Pet Travel Tips
Traveling with dogs can be an exciting and rewarding experience for them and their owners. Thankfully, Nutlkins shared some tips on how to maximize the chances of a successful journey with dogs, which include the following:
- Take a blanket or a roll-up bed, so your dog has something familiar with them during their travels.
- If traveling in your own vehicle and staying in one place, consider a dog crate or pen as this can work as a “home from home,” but only if you have helped your dog see what it is for.
- Be prepared for anything that your dog might need that is both routine and unexpected, consider bringing dog first aid kits in case of an injury, and research vet locations close to where you are traveling to.
- Get your dog ready for the journey by slowly introducing longer driving sessions, this can be done by going to walk your dog at a park that is further away.
- Be aware that dogs can experience travel sickness and know the signs that indicate your dog could be suffering, which include drooling, shaking, laying down as flat as possible, and whining to name a few—charcoal dog biscuits and putting blinds up on the car window are ways to mitigate this.
Newsweek previously compiled a list of tips specifically for people who are traveling with their pets via an airline, which can be viewed here.
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Online Reaction
Many people who commented on the TikTok video found it to be hilarious, with some sharing their own experiences of traveling with their pets with differing levels of success.
Carleen Forringer said: “Our cat loves to snuggle in his crate. He’s obsessed with going to his grandparents (seven-hour road trip) and thinking if he sits in there and cries we will take him.”
Sabrina B added: “We taught our doodle this by accident. The second she sees it [the pet carrier] she runs to jump in it and lay down.”
Carin Sweerman commented: “Please let him teach my cat. I need to get him to the vet, but all I get is a ton of scratches when I try to get him into it [the pet carrier].”
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