A spaniel has left the internet in stitches after showing that he will try to play fetch with just about anyone and anything, even inanimate objects like a statue.
Whenever Ellie Byrne walks her 9-year-old dog, PJ, near her home in Kilkee, County Clare, Ireland, she knows he is sure to make friends with everyone who walks past. However, it seems that it is not just actual people whom PJ is happy to befriend, because the unwitting pup was seen trying to instigate a game of fetch with a statue.
PJ loves playing fetch whenever he can, as Byrne told Newsweek that “he’s relentless” about it. This isn’t even the first time he has tried to get an inanimate statue to throw a stick for him, but Byrne did hope that he would have learned his lesson by now as he’s “old enough to have more sense.” Apparently not.
Byrne said: “The statue is of the late, renowned actor Richard Harris, and I regularly walk past it with PJ. On this occasion, I’d stopped for a minute to take a photo of the sea behind the statue, when I noticed PJ trying to engage Richard in a game of fetch.
@kilkeeellie / TikTok
“He was waiting for him to throw the stick for about five or six minutes, but he’d stay there all day if I didn’t distract him with a ball. He’s absolutely obsessed with playing fetch. Anyone who stops to talk to him instantly gets something dropped at their feet to throw,” Byrne added.
It’s no secret that springer spaniels like PJ have an abundance of energy, and the American Kennel Club (AKC) says that long walks, chasing things, and swimming are among their favorite pastimes.
Known for their relentless work ethic, keen sense of smell, and constant alertness, springer spaniels have long been a favorite with hunters due to their ease of finding any fallen prey. So, a simple game of fetch is just child’s play for PJ these days.
The spaniel really doesn’t mind what people throw for him, whether it’s a ball, a stick, or even a leaf. He’s just happy to chase after anything, but, granted, he prefers playing with humans.
After capturing the hilarious moment PJ waited patiently for the statue to throw a stick, she shared it on TikTok to the delight of her followers. The video has already generated more than 1.7 million views and over 94,000 likes in just a matter of days, as social-media users laud the dog’s determination to play.
Layered over the clip, Byrne wrote: “Our PJ is at it again. Just can’t understand why Richard Harris won’t play fetch.”
The social-media reaction has been completely unbelievable, and it’s even made PJ a local celebrity. “The whole town knows him now, and strangers have stopped me in the street to ask if this is the famous PJ,” Byrne told Newsweek.
“It’s been a lovely distraction for us, because we just lost our other dog, our beloved border collie Flossie, who was 19 years old and lived a very full and healthy life. PJ misses her terribly, and we were all heartbroken, so it’s like Flossie orchestrated all this joy for us.”
PJ’s incessant desire to play has won over many hearts on social media, and the video has already amassed more than 5,100 comments. One person wrote: “That is possibly the cutest thing ever.”
Another TikTok user joked: “This hooman is broken.”
One comment read: “This is quite possibly the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen.”
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.