There’s a fine line between teaching a dog a new skill and accidentally teaching them how to outsmart you. With enough encouragement and rewards, pups often pick up on patterns faster than owners expect. That realization plays out in a video by @wally.meets.world where a dog’s lesson in tic-tac-toe quickly becomes a lesson in canine creativity.
Dog learns how to play tic-tac-toe only to cheat in hilarious video
The video features Wally, a Golden Retriever whose owner decided to take on a fun challenge suggested by one of her followers. The viewer asked her to post videos of Wally learning how to play tic-tac-toe until he eventually won a game. Taking the idea seriously, at least at first, the owner drew a tic-tac-toe grid on a sheet of paper and placed a treat inside each square.
The rules were simple. Each treat represented a move, with Wally eating a treat to mark his “O,” while his owner chose a square to mark an “X.” The game began with the owner selecting one treat to claim her spot. When it was Wally’s turn, however, things didn’t go exactly as planned. Instead of picking just one treat, the Golden Retriever confidently grabbed two in one move, instantly giving himself an advantage.
Despite the early rule-breaking, the game continued. The owner played along, taking turns and reacting as Wally carefully — or not so carefully — made his selections. As the board filled up, it became clear that Wally was well on his way to winning. By the time they reached the final treat, the dog appeared to have secured three in a row. Even though his victory came with a bit of cheating, the result was undeniable: Wally “won” the game.
The video quickly gained attention, with viewers delighted by Wally’s confidence and unapologetic approach to the game. One person joked that the dog clearly won and suggested the game was “rigged” from the start. Another said he deserved to be declared the winner anyway, rules aside.
Several viewers pointed out Wally’s expression during the game, saying he looked like he had discovered a new way to get extra treats. Others simply praised him, calling him surprisingly “good at the game” despite his creative interpretation of the rules.
