As a kid, I always had plenty of reasons to be excited to go home at the end of a school day. Chief among those reasons of course was knowing my dog Dudley would be waiting at the top of the driveway for me. That grin and wagging tail made for a nice reward after a day’s worth of school.
In an adorable YouTube video viewed over 1 million times, a pup named Nala awaits the return of her school-aged sibling. We tune in right as the Pit-mix recognizes one of her favorite sounds: the school bus approaching. She sees the bright yellow bus as it stops in front of the house.
“Who’s that Nala?” her mom prompts. When her brother emerges, Nala knows for sure. Her brother is finally back!
They may not be able to read clocks or watches, but dogs do pick up on certain scheduling consistencies. They use scent, sound, and other visual cues to anticipate things. Things like the noise a bus makes or the smell of gasoline. They’re perfectly capable of making associations and learning (as we learned from the Pavlov experiments.)
In the video, Nala takes a leap off the porch and runs towards the street as her brother exits the bus. The little boy doesn’t even bother going much past the end of the driveway. He knows Nala will meet him there, tail wagging at lightning speed.
This pure, unadulterated excitement at our return is no doubt one of the best things about having dogs. It certainly is the reason my phone storage is constantly full of videos of tail wagging and eager jumping. Obviously we all enjoy videos of this nature, given this one’s popularity.
Watch the thrilling arrival of the long-awaited school bus below:
The Bond Between Boy And Dog
Nala and her brother have been the best of friends since she was a wee puppy. Nala knows him as a member of her pack, and she values him. That feeling is certainly mutual! Other videos on user @LMarie624’s YouTube channel feature displays of friendship between the two.
Growing up with a dog isn’t just a way to learn responsibility. It’s the formation of a deep emotional bond. Plus, they make great sword fighting opponents.
If you have good footage of your pups greeting you upon your return, send it our way!
H/T: Cesar’s Way
Featured Image: Screenshot, @LMarie624/YouTube
Toledo, United States.
