If you’ve ever thought daily walks with a dog would double up as a good workout, Olli the Shih Tzu is here to prove otherwise in this Instagram video. His owner sets out expecting a brisk stroll but quickly realizes the pace is entirely up to their furbaby. Since he is naturally interested, Olli has no plans to walk along the sidewalk like a treadmill.
Instead, every few steps turn into a new adventure — a pause to sniff a bush, a moment to stare at something only he understands, or a full stop to inspect the smallest leaf on the ground. By the time the walk ends, the only thing that’s gone up is patience, not steps.
Video shows how Shih Tzu’s walk with owner includes exploring surroundings
The clip has become a crowd favorite online, garnering more than 78K likes. It also has a flood of relatable comments. Dog parents everywhere are nodding along, laughing at how accurately it captures the reality of “dog walks” versus human walks.
The video opens with Olli the Shih Tzu dashing forward on his leash. The text on screen teases that one might think walking with him must be a great way to rack up steps. However, the truth comes out quickly.
In the next shot, we see Olli halting altogether at the nearest patch of bushes. His focus is absolute, like he’s decoding an important message. Next, he stations himself in front of a fire hydrant for what feels like an eternity. Then, he carefully investigates fallen leaves, as though each one deserves its own inspection.
The caption describes it aptly: “When a walk is supposed to take 15 minutes but ends up taking 30.” That’s truly the charm because watching Olli turn a routine outing into a sensory exploration is a reminder that dogs see the world differently. One might say we could learn something from them and slow down once in a while.
Viewers were quick to drop their opinions. One viewer joked, “Gotta check the pee-mails!,” while another quipped, “I always let them sniff. It’s their version of Facebook, so let them doomscroll.” A user chimed in with a trick to get the steps in: “My neighbors probably think I’m crazy cause I just march in place while my dog sniffs.”
