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By Alice Gibbs
Senior Reporter
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A dog with a hilarious reaction to going down the stairs has left the internet in stitches.
In a video with over 980,000 views, a French bulldog's response to being expected to climb back down the stairs has delighted pet lovers.
TikToker positivevibes2412 shared the footage of Milo the dog, who was seemingly very excited when the man looking after him leaned down to his face.
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"She's like a wind up toy," joked the poster on TikTok.
Dog trainer Joe Nutkins told Newsweek: "This Frenchie is showing some excitable behavior with the moving forwards and back, shuffling on the belly and it's very humorous at first glance."
But she explained that the first impressions of the pup's body language may not tell the whole story.
"There are some stress signs showing that the dog isn't playing, but more doing their best to indicate their worry about going down the stairs," said Nutkins. "It's not clear if the dog has ever gone down the stairs in the past and now won't or if they have never been able to get down."
It is true that some dogs find stairs more difficult, and particular breeds may be more likely to avoid steps than others.
"It's due to their structure," said Nutkins. "They need to be able to confidently move downwards onto a step using the front legs and shoulders to support, [doing this] while not banging their chest, elbows or rib cage at the same time can be tricky for shorter leg dogs or dogs with deep chests."
Breeds that have deeper chests and shorter legs include the dachshund, basset hound, corgi, bulldog, bull terrier and pekingese.
Stairs are a part of dogs' lives, but for some they can be difficult to navigate.
"Going down steps and stairs can also contribute towards joint, muscular and ligament issues over time and a dog with undiagnosed joint issues in the front end is likely to try and avoid going down stairs or move quicker or in a different style to try and minimize pain," said Nutkins.
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When your dog needs to take on a set of stairs, it can be helpful to warm up the dog's body, while Nutkins also suggested some training that could help.
"Training can be possible for dogs or puppies who are new to seeing steps so aren't too sure and ideally we want to start with a single step, such as the back door step or an aerobic step," she said. "Helping dogs to step off carefully onto a non-slip flooring can build confidence, strengthen the front of the body and give dogs a chance to work out their preferred way to move off the step before working up to a few steps and then a flight of stairs."
In the comments on the funny video of the French bulldog, people shared their reactions to the dog.
"This is why I love Frenchies," said one TikToker. "They are actually gremlins."
Another wrote: "Frenchies have the best personalities."
One dog owner even said that their dog does the same thing: "My Frenchie does exactly the same thing at the top of the stairs," they wrote. "It's like a happy dance that your face is at their level! It's hilarious!"
Another French Bulldog gained viral attention this week when she was finally adopted. Doris was a resident at Dog Ranch Rescue in Anna, Texas, and finally found her forever family with new owner Clarissa.
Newsweek reached out to positivevibes2412 via TikTok for comment.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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