If you have a dog who gets excited by any movement going on in the backyard or outside while you’re going for a walk, don’t worry — you’re in great company. For some dogs, that hunting instinct immediately kicks in, and they’re off on the chase. And for others (like mine), it’s mostly hoping that they can make a new friend that makes them so interested, though they won’t always understand exactly why a little bird or tiny squirrel would want to keep their distance!
The sweet German Shorthaired Pointer in this Instagram Reel might just be experiencing a bit of that confusion in the video below. She’s so excited to see a squirrel in a tree that she sounds more like a squeaky toy than a dog!
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I don’t know what I love most about this video that @pointerpawprints shared on Instagram recently — the fabulous Halloween bat costume that the German Shorthaired Pointer is wearing, or the fact that she can hardly contain herself when it comes to the squirrels in this tree.
Rather than barking, this little lady is squeaking (you really do need to watch the video to hear it for yourself), and for the life of her, she cannot understand why a squirrel would hide from her in a tree rather than coming down to play!
And as her mom pointed out in the caption, I’m sure the squirrel is trying to figure out what kind of creature this is. She looks like a dog, she sounds like a mouse, but she’s wearing a feather boa and sparkly purple bat ears on her headband. If the squirrel in question is a little freaked out, I totally get it.
She’s just trying to make friends, though… even if she does look a bit intimidating!
Why dogs are fascinated with squirrels
As someone who loves dogs and little creatures like squirrels, it’s a relief to know that not all dogs are chasing after them because they’re in hunting mode — for many, it’s just fascination without any intent to do damage.
But according to the American Kennel Club (AKC), that fascination is rooted in their predatory instincts that date back thousands of years. Thanks to their wolf heritage, their eyes are very good at sensing movement, so when they see a squirrel scampering up a tree, they are on it.
To help keep those distractions to a minimum, try playing games like fetch more often, which will help them exercise their instincts in a more contained way, and of course, offer plenty of positive reinforcement when they don’t allow themselves to be distracted by a nearby creature on a walk.
Considering the fact that squirrels are typically pretty wary of dogs (and for good reason) there’s a good chance that they’ll never be besties. Nobody tell this pup that, though — no reason to break her heart!
