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By Alyce Collins
Senior Reporter
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When this owner set up an apple-bobbing challenge for their dog, they hoped it would keep the golden retriever occupied for a while. But they underestimated just how impatient the pup is, as she found a hilarious way around it.
Keeping Delilah the golden retriever entertained for a while can be challenging, which is why her owner, Maddie Stock, 32**,** set up a new "enrichment idea" to keep her mind stimulated. An apple was cut into segments and placed into a bowl of water, and Delilah was supposed to bob her snout in and pick out the pieces of fruit for a tasty snack. That was the intended idea, at least.
Unfortunately for Stock, of Sydney, Australia**,** Delilah wasn't so keen on that and was far too "impatient" to do it that way. Instead, she decided to find another way around it by putting her paw in the water and pulling all the apple pieces out that way—along with much of the liquid.
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"At the time, I was just looking to stimulate her mind and give her a new problem to solve," Stock told Newsweek. "She ended up solving the problem in a completely different and hilarious way which still technically worked."
Stock shared a hilarious video on TikTok (@delilah.thegoldengirl) showing the unusual way Delilah managed to navigate the enrichment challenge, and it has delighted social-media users. Since the clip was posted on October 28, it has generated more than 9.7 million views and over 905,300 likes on TikTok at the time of writing.
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While everyone knows the importance of physical exercise for dogs, the American Kennel Club also highlights just how vital it is to give them mental exercise. This is what enrichment can do for canines, as it gives them a cognitive workout to burn off excess energy, provide them with entertainment, and prevent boredom.
This can be done in a variety of different ways, including a scavenger hunt that encourages them to use their sense of smell to find objects; puzzle toys for them to solve; obedience training; and games such as fetch, hide-and-seek, or tug-of-war. If your dog likes to know what is going on around them, the U.S. Humane Society suggests giving them a window perch or seat where they can look outside at the neighborhood.
How Did TikTok React?
Since going viral online, internet users have lauded Delilah's trick to avoid getting her nose wet while still managing to collect all the fruit. Thankfully, Stock managed to see the funny side to the dog's unusual tactic as the caption alongside the video reads that "she is efficient."
Stock continued: "The main reaction was that she works smarter not harder, and that is her to a T. If she can figure out the lazy way of doing something, she absolutely will. It was a really nice feeling to have people laugh at the situation like I did, and to share the moment."
In just a number of days, the TikTok post has amassed over 2,800 comments. There was plenty of praise for the genius of Delilah's problem-solving ability among the thousands of commenters.
One TikTok user wrote: "She said enrich yourself and mop the floor while you're at it."
Another person responded: "She definitely found a solution."
"She outsmarted the system," posted a third.
Another comment reads: "That's some Grade A problem solving right there!"
Update 11/08/24, 10:38 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comments from Maddie Stock.
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