Everyone loves a dog who can do tricks, from classics like sit and roll over to more advanced stuff.
But one dog has become a viral star thanks to one amazing talent that takes “stay” to the next level.
Paul Lavery, from Belfast, has always known his dachshund Harlso was special: “We got him five years ago and we just fell in love with him at first sight and brought him home,” he told Metro.
But one day he happened to discover a unique ability. After placing a squeaky chicken toy on the dog, he discovered that the dog was great at balancing things on his head.
The dog stood perfectly still, staring up at the toy, as if trying to balance it.
Paul and his partner Jen had never had any success in teaching him any tricks, but they knew right away they had stumbled into a real talent.
They started placing other objects on the dog’s head—making sure the items were light and safe enough so the dog wouldn’t get hurt—and every time, the dog patiently balanced the object.
They posted all the photos to Harlso’s own Instagram account, dubbing him “Harlso the Balancing Hound.”
What started as a little joke among friends and family escalated to a phenomenon. The dog now has over 167,000 followers.
“It really started growing quite quickly. People from all over the world follow him,” Paul said.
The photos have continued, many of them themed to the seasons and holidays.
Paul says Harlso is happy to balance anything he can on his noggin: “You can put pretty much anything on his head as long as it’s not too heavy and too dangerous.”
He also pointed out that this is something his dog just does on his own—there isn’t any special training or encouragement to make him do it.
“I get people messaging me asking for training tips like I’m Cesar Millan!” Paul said. “I do not know how he does this, one day he might decide to just stop.”
Harlso has received worldwide recognition for his talent. He received a 2019 Webby Award, was listed as one of the Guinness World Records ‘Amazing Animals,’ was named Northern Ireland’s Social Media Personality of the Year, and even has his own calendar.
Not that all this fame has changed him: “He was always really bossy and a bit of a diva so the fame hasn’t changed him because he’s always been like that,” Paul told Metro.
You can say it’s the one thing that hasn’t gone to his head.
You can follow this talented dog’s adventures on Instagram! Share this incredible story!