Special Moment Greyhound Shows He's Comfortable With Owners After 2 Years
After two years, Paul the greyhound finally feels comfortable enough to show his belly off when relaxing with his owners.
The monumental moment was recorded by his owner Elizabeth Hasier, who manages his popular TikTok account called @riskitallpaul.
In the video, which can be watched here, Paul can be seen sleeping on his back with his paws in the air.
@riskitallpaul we have been waiting TWO YEARS for him to “roach” !! it’s a sign of extreme comfort and relaxation and it FINALLY HAPPENED 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹
♬ Sunshine - WIRA
The video was captioned: "We have been waiting TWO YEARS for him to 'roach' !! it's a sign of extreme comfort and relaxation and it FINALLY HAPPENED," and has received over 364,000 views.
Newsweek reached out to a veterinarian to find out exactly what it means when a dog's position is compared to a dead cockroach.
What Is Roaching?
Dr. Zac Pilossoph, a consulting veterinarian at Healthy Paws Pet Insurance, told Newsweek: "Roaching is a colloquial phrase given to the position some dogs take when they are resting in a comfortable environment. They will lay on their backs with either their back feet or all feet up in the air, like a dead roach."
Why Do Greyhounds Roach?
There are several reasons behind this position but the most common is that the dog is in a comfortable position while resting.
Pilossoph said: "Dogs will really only lay in this position if they feel comfortable as it exposes their abdomen and vital organs to the environment, making them vulnerable.
"So, if your dog is laying like this, then it is a good sign they feel safe wherever they are. Another reason for assuming this position could be that it makes it easier for the dog to breathe. We see this sometimes with brachycephalic type breeds (bulldogs, pugs, etc) as they are often born with abnormal facial anatomy in which an upside-down position helps to open the airway more for them."
Not all dogs will lay in this position, so there is no need for pet parents to worry if they have never seen their furry friend "roach," according to Pilossoph.
He added: "A nervous dog may feel uncomfortable assuming this position as they are afraid to expose their bellies like this without being able to survey their surroundings."
The viral clip has racked up over 76,000 likes since it was shared on February 11.
One popular comment has 5,328 likes, it said: "I call this carcass time. when my bfs whippet mix does this I pretend he's a turkey I'm preparing for Thanksgiving. he LOVES it."
"Oh my goodness congratulations on your first roach! it's such a special bonding moment. Greyhounds are the best," said another.
"The biggest compliment to a dog parent," commented another TikTok user.
Newsweek reached out to @riskitallpaul for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.
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