This Golden Retriever makes millions laugh with their unusual habit: they behave as if they were a cat, even mastering the cats’ characteristic kneading movements.

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The owner said that Fisher grew up almost exclusively in the company of cats, so it is not surprising that they picked up a few strange yet very lovable habits from them – or we could also say behavioural patterns. In the video circulating on the internet, the dog sits on the sofa with a plush toy in their mouth and, with complete seriousness, rhythmically kneads the cushion in front of them with their front paws, just as cats usually knead.

Can a dog knead?

Kneading is instinctive behaviour in cats, since as kittens they stimulate their mother’s milk production with it while nursing, and as adults it is a sign of satisfaction and a sense of security. Fisher, however, performs the sequence of movements despite being a dog, which creates quite a surreal sight.

When your dog only has cat brothers so he is part of the biscuit making business

– wrote the owner in the caption of the video, which has already been viewed by more than 10 million people.

The recording is also interesting because it clearly shows how adaptable dogs are, especially such intelligent and human-centred breeds as the Golden Retriever. These furry companions are famous for learning easily, being sensitive to their environment, and even being able to imitate the behaviour of other animals.

This may lie behind the behaviour

Research also supports that dogs are capable of social learning from a very young age. According to a study published in the journal Scientific Reports, puppies as young as eight weeks old are able to learn how to solve a task through observation, either from other dogs or from humans. The study also found that the puppies remembered what they had seen for an hour, and surprisingly they often learned more readily from an unfamiliar dog than from their own mother.

All of this proves that our four-legged companions adapt extremely flexibly to the social environment around them, and they are capable of learning from the behaviour of other individuals, and even from other species. If a puppy grows up with cats, it is natural that they may adopt certain movements and reactions from them, even if those are not characteristic of their own species.

Photo: welovedogz.hu

As discussed above, dogs are capable of learning through observation from other individuals in puppyhood; however, one thing is certain: early socialisation is of decisive importance. Puppies that gain positive experiences with other animals at a young age are more likely to live harmoniously in multi-animal households later in life. Fisher’s story is both adorable and instructive, as it shows that animal behaviour is far more flexible than we might think.

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