Man's Clever Method of Training Borzoi To Do Tricks Is Downright Hilarious

Ah, pets. They put up with so much from us. We teach them to do silly tricks, we mess with them, we subject them to nose boops snuggles and the overattentive ministrations of toddlers—but they love us anyway.

In this video, you can see precisely how patient and understanding this pair of Borzoi hounds are being with their human family, as they not only sit patiently while a toddler crawls around, but also learn a new trick—through a most unusual method.

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For screenwriter and actor Jason Chattman, these elegant hounds are a source of daily amusement and love. This is especially true when it comes to training his beautiful white Borzoi, Ora, in an especially unusual way.

With a sock.

Related: Compilation of Dog Dad’s Reaction to His Borzoi’s Gifts Is Beyond Cute

Chattman has decorated a regular white tube sock with a black nose and a pair of googly eyes. When he puts the sock—christened El Socakroo—on his hand, it actually bears a strong resemblance to one of his long-snouted hounds. Then, he demonstrates the trick he wants his actual dogs to learn. And it really works!

In this video, he is showing his dog Ora how to balance a flower vase on the bridge of her snout. First, he shows her on El Sockaroo, while she mugs skeptically for the camera. Nearby, another dog snoozes on the floor and a toddler watches in rapt attention.

Next, Ora tries the move out for herself—and honestly, she nails it.

History of the Borzoi

Borzois give the impression of dignity and reserve. Though they were bred to be hunting dogs, and are often referred to as “Russian wolfhounds,” their association with the Russian aristocracy during the revolution made them the target of violence and they remain rare to this day. Their commonly accepted name, Borzoi, derives from an archaic Russian word for “swift” or “fast.”

Borzoi are beautiful, elegant dogs, for the right family.

Is a Borzoi Right for You?

Borzoi are the result of interbreeding greyhounds and thicker coated Russian breeds. As such they are positively enormous dogs, with long silky fur and high prey drive. They are very intelligent, can be stubborn and reserved, and require plenty of exercise and training to keep from becoming mischievous and destructive.

Anyone looking for a Borzoi should be aware of their grooming needs--their long, silky coats needs to be regularly brushed and groom to stay in good repair. They are also dogs that need a lot of space, both to run around in for exercise and inside, where they like to splay out on everything (like in this video).

Clearly, Chattman knows all about how to treat his dogs right, as they are learning advanced tricks, and being ever so gentle with their “skin puppy” human sibling.

How To Teach Your Dog Tricks

When it comes to teaching your dog tricks, you don’t always have to get as creative as a sock puppet, but patience and good humor certainly help. Dogs learn best with short training sessions that don’t tax their attention span, clear, consistent demands, and tons of positive reinforcement.

We certainly hope that Ora was given a cookie for being such a good girl!

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