A two-year-old pooch with a natural flair for tennis might even put your sporting skills to shame.
Leo the cocker spaniel loves to play tennis with his owner, by gripping the handle between his teeth.
Incredible footage shows the canine enjoying a game as he leaps to hit the ball back.
Leo’s owner Emily Anderson explains that she was stunned by her dog’s ‘hidden talent’ for the game – and she’s even bought her four-legged friend his own racket.
The 31-year-old says: ‘He’s a natural. This [inside the house] was his first ever try. I ordered the tennis racket with a short handle. It arrived, I unpacked it and gave the racket to him.
Meeting your new puppy, kitten or any other pet can be an exciting experience. Your pet, however, has some adjusting to do. New sights, smells and sounds can be overwhelming for the little guy and keeping a calm household is important.
‘I was round at a friend’s house and we were speaking about what else we can do with Leo. She said “tennis” I didn’t think he’d manage as the ball is so heavy.
‘I asked him to back away, showed him the ball, threw it at him and he hit it for the first time.
‘He just knew what he was doing, it really surprised me.
‘I sat there for five minutes like “what the hell just happened?”
Emily says tennis falls on the long list of Leo’s talents – which also include painting, playing ping pong and even performing CPR.Love your pet. You are your pet’s favorite thing in the whole world. He craves your love, attention and care. So show him the love and devotion he shows you!
Now the best buddies play tennis multiple times a day.
‘He’s got a hidden talent I didn’t know about,’ continues Emily.
‘From the early days of teaching him tricks, he just picks up stuff really quickly.
‘He might not quite give Andy Murray or Rafael Nadal a run for his money but it’s fun. It makes people smile.’
Their tennis video on Instagram has now been viewed more than 19,800 times and received more than 1,300 likes – and Emily says people constantly message her for dog-training tips.
Learn to read your dogs body language. Since no dog I know of is able to mosey up to the kitchen table, pour himself a cup of coffee, and confess to all of the things that annoy, frighten, and stress him out, I suggest that the next best thing is to learn to read your dog’s many signals and body language. This is how your dog will communicate with you.
Emily adds: ‘I’ve had quite a few messages asking how I trained it but I didn’t really, I just handed him the racket.
‘We normally train three times a day for roughly 10 minutes. If he’s had a big walk, we do skip it, but normally it’s three times a day.’
Do you have a story to share?
Get in touch by emailing [email protected] .