Living out of a truck camper on the beach sounds like a dream, but having a personal ocean alarm system makes it even better. Ry, the traveler behind @ry.roams, has spent over three years on the road with her dogs, including Frankie. This darling mixed breed has developed a talent that puts most high-end binoculars to shame.
A recent video shows us that Frankie can actually smell and hear whales long before they surface for air. She even has a specific “whale bark” to signal when something massive is swimming nearby.
Owner documents dog spotting whales in video
The first time this happened, Ry was actually a bit worried about her four-legged companion. Frankie had stopped dead in her tracks, shaking with total terror for no obvious reason. Moments later, a massive whale breached the surface, and the pieces finally clicked together for her owner. Now that they’ve lived beachside for several years, Frankie has become a total pro at her self-appointed job.
She spends hours sitting at the water’s edge with her nose pointed toward the horizon, waiting for a scent. “My dog can spot whales!” Ry shared with her followers as she documented the phenomenon. In the clip, she tells us she is often caught off guard while cooking lunch by that distinct, rhythmic bark. Then she runs out to the sand just in time to see a tail flip or a massive spray of water.
The accuracy is actually pretty mind-blowing, regardless of whether the sun is high or setting. Frankie alerts her humans to everything from dolphins to sea lions, but the giants of the deep are clearly her main focus. Frankie is likely picking up on a massive scent or hearing the giant breaths as they surface.
One marine biologist joked in the comments that Frankie was probably a mermaid in a past life. Over 74,400 people have already liked the post, as the internet is clearly a fan of this inter-species connection. The video then shows several days when the dog successfully predicts exactly when the whales will dive. That sort of natural talent makes their independent truck-camper life feel truly magical.
