Persistent Dog Wins Over Shy Boy With Down Syndrome and We Can't Stop Watching (VIDEO)

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by Kiri Blakeley 1 hour ago

Sometimes there is just nothing like a dog. They seem to have a special ability to tune into exactly what a human wants and needs. I guess that's why we masters of the planet willingly bend over and pick up their poop, let them chew everything in our shoe closet, and don't mind when they swallow our soap, glasses, or other household objects. Well, maybe we mind a bit but it's worth it. Because ... DOGS GET IT. And this video proves it beyond a doubt. It was uploaded a year ago, but is getting major attention now. In it, a little boy with Down syndrome sits on the ground. A golden retriever inches over and tries to get his attention. The boy, who apparently shuns being touched, isn't too thrilled. You can see how the dog keeps trying, and the boy keeps moving away. And then ...

Well, just watch it (get out your hankies) and then we'll regroup.

Wow!!! Sniff. Are you bawling?

Notice how the dog kept pawing and pawing, even though the boy kept rejecting him -- and then how finally, all of a sudden, the little boy reaches over and hugs him?

The dog didn't let it get to him that he was being rejected. He seemed to know that the little boy wanted to be touched but was perhaps not ready or was wary. And the dog would give him space just when he needed it. He was persistent but not overly so.

I guess this is why dogs make perfect therapy pets. Crazily, some readers are commenting that the kid really didn't want the dog anywhere near him and that should have been respected, but I disagree. The dog knew exactly what he was doing.

The origin of the video is unclear. It appears on many channels on YouTube, with the most watched version claiming that this is a dog named Himalaya and a boy named Hernan, with the video taken by the boy's mother, who supposedly claimed that the little boy "flees" from human contact. But an earlier upload merely says this is Rufus and James playing. (Presumably the dog is Rufus, but who knows!) Maybe all of the press the video is suddenly getting will clear up exactly who this precious duo are. (The giggles in the background sound like a man not a woman!)

But either way, the video is a great testament to the bond between human and animal. And that's what really matters.

What did you think of the video?

Image via max well/Flickr

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