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By Lucy Notarantonio
Senior Reporter
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Many people compare looking after a puppy to having a child, and judging by this video, it's easy to see why.
Nick Chapman, 26, recorded his best efforts to complete a home workout, but his German shepherd puppy, Leia, had other plans.
The footage, posted to @_nickchap on Instagram, has racked up an astounding 9.5 million views. It shows Chapman attempting to do a set of push-ups, while five-month-old Leia nibbles on his wrists and t-shirt, refusing to play with her toys. Chapman, from Plymouth, England, asks her to "behave," but she continues to disturb him, even making occasional noises that have been paired with text of what he believes she is saying, such as: "I crave violence."
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Chapman, a physiologist, told Newsweek: "I try to workout from home, but it often isn't possible," adding that Leia was only playing.
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"We have a great bond which means the world to me," he said.
As of the time of writing, the September 27 clip had garnered 388,000 likes and over 1,400 comments.
"I love how she talks to you to defend her behavior," commented one user, while another wrote: "She said 'no pain, no gain.'" Someone else said: "She's just trying to help with your form."
Tips on Puppy Biting
Dog expert Olivia Graham, from New York, spoke to Newsweek about puppy biting, explaining that they cannot "inflict serious damage until they are older," but it can still be painful.
"Furthermore, a dog that is allowed to be snappy in its youth is likely to retain those traits and can exhibit aggressiveness in adulthood," she said. "Luckily, there are a few things you can do to curb a nipping puppy."
The head of U.S. operations for the pet rehoming website Lancaster Puppies provides these tips:
- "Dogs make the connection between biting and the pain it inflicts through the reaction they receive, as well as their own experiences when another puppy bites them. If your puppy bites you, a short yelp or 'NO' can help it learn that biting is bad."
- "Your puppy needs to learn to view your hand as the giver of rewards, rather than a plaything, and you need to teach it to literally not bite the hand that feeds it. Use your hands to pet, cuddle or give your dog treats. Don't use it for grabbing or wrestling with the dog. If you want to engage in a game like tug-of-war with your dog, use a toy instead."
- "Positive reinforcement is key. When they approach you without snapping, biting or jumping up - reward that with a treat. If they do snap or bite, turn away from them and ignore them. Telling them off or scolding them teaches that if they bite, they'll get attention from you, so simply ignoring the bad behaviour and rewarding the good is much more successful than negative reinforcement."
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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