Owning a dog is a huge commitment - and one which shouldn't be taken lightly.
Dog owners must commit to feeding, walking, socialising and training their pets to turn them into a well-rounded dogs.
But one owner has noticed how her dog has been picking up on her own training cues and has begun using them on her boyfriend.
Using the reinforcement method, the cheeky pooch has been able to chomp down extra treats when her owner's boyfriend comes to visit.
Sharing her amusement on Reddit, the owner explained how her dog greets her boyfriend at the door before settling down and leading him into the kitchen in hopes of a treat.
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She said: "Every time he comes over, she's playfully excited as she usually is when any one of my family comes home.
"Once she settles down, she'll do this thing where she just stares at him, wagging her tail until he follows her into the kitchen.
"She knows where we keep her treats so she'll look over at the basket, look at him, and do a low grumbling and bark until he gives her a treat."
Knowing her boyfriend always gives in, the dog now tries this 'tactic' every single time he turns up at the house.
She added: "She’s also taught him how she likes to play fetch when we go on hikes.
"She’s crazy for huge sticks, and her game is more about her running to the stick, running off to the side with it, and breaking it apart unless you come and grab it to throw again.
"She wants it to be thrown again, but she won’t always bring it straight back.
"Sometimes I have to walk away to get her to bring it. Sometimes she’ll catch it, then set it on the ground and bark at me until I walk over and get it.
"She definitely had to show my boyfriend how the game works, and refused to bring him the stick several times on our first hike together.
"I just love these interactions between the two beings in this world I love the most."
While most users thought these interactions were "adorable", others questioned "just who is training who" when it comes to dog ownership.
Explaining how their dog begs for treats, one user said: My one-year-old golden shepherd comes up to me between 7 to 8pm and stares. If I ignore her, she'll give a little woof.
"And if I just blow her off and ignore her? She grumbles at me, goes to lie in a corner, and sighs heavily and keeps groaning. We call her a drama queen for a reason."
Do you have an unusual dog story to sell? Email paige.freshwater@reachplc.com.
