This handy pooch is so eager to help his owner that he's learned to climb ladders 'like a human' - so he can join the handyman at work in clients' lofts. Nik Whysall takes cockapoo Oscar to work every day as the dog can't bear being away from him while he manages rental properties.
However, when the 55-year-old was in a client's loft he was shocked to see Oscar's head poking through the hole at the top of his ladders. Wife Julie caught his 'impressive' skill on camera last month [Jan 27] when Nik was carrying blankets into their own attic.
The five-year-old pooch can be seen stepping up each rung of their wooden ladder one hind leg at a time and using his front paws to reach up and keep himself balanced. Within ten seconds he scales the steps and hops into the loft to join Nik who carries him down when he's finished with his chore.
Julie, 57, says Oscar just wants to help Nik, while he's even joked he'll have to train the 'clever' cockapoo to pass him tools in future. Baffled dog owners on Facebook explained that their mutts wouldn't be brave enough to climb ladders and one even suggested he enter Britain's Got Talent.
Nick, from Burbage, Leicestershire, said: "He seems to have got to grips with climbing ladders. I really ought to train him to pass me my tools. That would be good." I did a job in a client's loft and I'd put my steps up. The next thing I saw was his head pop up in the loft space. I was quite surprised to see him there. He wants to be with me all the time and the ladder video proves that. We spend a lot of time together."
Nik and Julie, who have four grown-up children and four grandchildren, moved to Saint Peter Port, Guernsey, last year as Julie took a hospital theatre practitioning job there. Nik runs a firm that manages rental properties for UK landlords so he travels back to keep them in shape while working for an estate agents in Guernsey.
Julie was baffled to see Oscar climbing the ladders with such balance and couldn't help recording it to share on Facebook. Julie said: "Oscar was whimpering to see Nik before I shot the video so when I told him to go and see daddy he climbed the ladders. He always wants to get involved and help out.
"We did it a few times because I couldn't believe it. He's very clever and I've even taught him to get slippers when I ask him to. When Nik told me about it I thought he'd run up but he just climbs. He's so eager to get to Nik. He's got great balance and is very agile.
"I'd seen him do it before so I asked Facebook if it was normal but people have been telling me how their dog wouldn't do that. It's amazing. If he can see Nik going somewhere and disappearing Oscar will go after him. It's the same for me."
Nik and Julie, who have four grown-up children and four grandchildren, moved to Saint Peter Port, Guernsey, last year as Julie took a hospital theatre practitioning job there.
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Nik runs a firm that manages rental properties for UK landlords so he travels back to keep them in shape while working for an estate agents in Guernsey.
Julie was baffled to see Oscar climbing the ladders with such balance and couldn't help recording it to share on Facebook. Julie said: "Oscar was whimpering to see Nik before I shot the video so when I told him to go and see daddy he climbed the ladders. He always wants to get involved and help out.
"We did it a few times because I couldn't believe it. He's very clever and I've even taught him to get slippers when I ask him to. When Nik told me about it I thought he'd run up but he just climbs. He's so eager to get to Nik. He's got great balance and is very agile.
"I'd seen him do it before so I asked Facebook if it was normal but people have been telling me how their dog wouldn't do that. It's amazing. If he can see Nik going somewhere and disappearing Oscar will go after him. It's the same for me."
