A remarkable mutt has been dubbed a 'Super Dog' - after completing a plastic cup stacking game 'better than most toddlers'. Owner Emily Anderson captured incredible footage of cocker spaniel Leo grabbing five brightly-coloured cups in his mouth before precisely stacking them on top of each other - in size order.
The 31-year-old dog trainer claims Leo's latest trick has been one of his most popular tricks yet, with the clip attracting more than 1.3 millions views and more than 172,000 likes and comments. The three-year-old pooch is also known for other extraordinary skills including playing tennis, painting masterpieces and even completing a hopscotch grid.
Emily said: "He's probably better than most toddlers at doing this game. "He never, ever gives up. Learning new tricks makes him really happy. After a training session he will fall sound asleep and then wake himself up because his tail is wagging.
"It took Leo about six weeks to learn this trick. He found it quite difficult but he really likes learning new things. I always make sure he's having a good time and isn't getting frustrated so if [the cup tower] falls I go back to him just doing one of the lower ones that are easier and once he's been successful at that a few times we'd try a higher one again.
"I'd say it's taken roughly 42 days and on average we spent about 10 minutes a day on it so about 420 minutes in total. I'd never let him be unsuccessful more than twice in a row before making it easier."
Emily has trained Leo since he was a tiny puppy using clicker training which involves using a clicker to mark the positive behaviour before offering a reward. Emily said: "This was the most difficult stunt because he likes to use his front legs to feel where things are.
"This was one of the harder ones to do. When I filmed him stacking all the cups, it took about 10 attempts to make sure they didn't fall over. He'd keep touching it with his leg and they'd fall over. I asked if he wanted to give up but he wanted to keep going.
"I taught him through clicker training and shaping. It's just working in really small steps towards being able to put them on. When he does something I'll say yes or click. If I do it too soon he knocks it with his head and it falls over then he barks at me because I ruined it.
"I had to hold the cups steady at first and tell him he was doing it right while I felt the cup getting into the right position."
Emily and Leo now have more than 32,500 followers on TikTok with this video being one of Leo's most viewed. One dog owner said: "Super dog."
Another user said: "That's incredible. The focus, the patience."
A fellow spaniel lover said: "Cute. Wish my spaniel had that concentration but no..."
Another viewer said: "That tap dance is killing me."
One of Leo's fans added: "Well done pup! Hope you get extra treats."
