You know how every dog has their own “thing?” Some are professional couch potatoes, while others act like wannabe sprinters at the park. Then there’s Oatmeal. Not only is this Golden Retriever wholesome and comforting, just like his name, but he’s also an expert in making lake day funnier, as can be seen in this video.
His mom, who posts about his adventures on @adriaandoatmeal, filmed him in Lake Tahoe, striking poses that honestly make him look more like a human than a dog. The clip has been making the rounds online for all the right reasons, because when Oatmeal decides to put on a show, it’s equal parts impressive and hilarious.
Owner shows Golden Retriever’s impressive skills in lake video
The video drew over 10.9K likes and plenty of comments from fans who were seriously impressed by Oatmeal’s water skills. Golden Retrievers are bred to be excellent water dogs. They are intelligent, highly trainable, and extremely focused when given a task. Oatmeal is showing off these traits by standing nearly upright in the water, three-quarters submerged.
He shuffles his feet, balancing exceptionally well. His human is amazed: “Wait, this is actually really impressive,” she says. He then strikes a pose, leading his mom to exclaim, “This is his hunting stance, by the way.”
Though the hunt is secretive, his mom tries to give him a mission: “Do you want to get that rock for me?” Oatmeal swims right up to her, ready for instructions. While there’s a little mix-up with which rock he’s supposed to grab, his determination doesn’t waver.
He approaches a rock on the lake bed, feeling it out with a paw. He then dunks his head under the water to grab his prize. “Yay, good boy,” his mom cheers.
The feat is so impressive that even his friend, Crusty Carl, is seen celebrating his success. One fan called it “top-tier hunting stance.” Another commenter was equally impressed by his aquatic gymnastics: “No arm floaties and balancing on back legs is hella impressive.”
