This Sneaky Guide Dog Loves Secretly Taking His Mom to His Favourite Pet Store for Treats
Thai may be a guide dog, but he has a very different idea of what a successful outing looks like. Instead of staying focused on the path, this clever pup keeps steering his mom, Danielle Sykora, straight toward his favorite pet store whenever they head out together.
Danielle, who has been blind since childhood, relies on Thai every day, and the two have built a close bond over the past four years. But on family trips, mall visits, and even school days, Thai keeps finding excuses to make a quick detour for treats, coffee, or whatever else catches his nose.
His latest sneaky stop was caught on video, and the internet could not get enough of it. Read on.
Almost every weekend, Danielle and Thai travel from Delaware Valley University in Pennsylvania to her hometown in New Jersey to visit her family. On these wonderful weekends, Danielle loves going to the mall with her sister Michele, and Thai enjoys it even more than they do.
Like this one time when Danielle's dad was with her, he noticed that there was a specific shop named Cool Dog Gear that Thai really loved going into.
"The first time my sister ever went to this mall, she was with my dad, and Thai just veered right into the store without her knowing," Michele said. "The second time we went back there, I wanted to witness it for myself, so we walked in the direction of the pet store, and of course, he walked right in there again!"
This time, though, Michele was prepared and armed with her camera to catch Thai in the act.
Michele caught sneaky Thai red-handed on video and decided to post it to her Twitter account. It wasn't long before the post went viral, and even though it received thousands of views, Thai still didn't regret doing it.
"If there is any word to describe Thai, it is probably 'foodie,'" Michele said. "He will do anything to get a crumb on the floor."
Danielle, on the other hand, was not surprised at all when her family told her what he had been doing, because it has happened many times before. Like the time they went to the boardwalk for the summer, and Thai went into every food place instead of the clothing store she wanted to visit.
Or when she's at school, he tends to take her to Starbucks because he knows she loves coffee, but he also gets a little puppycino for himself.
It’s kind of like the lonely dog who sneaks out when his owner isn’t around to hug his bestie.
Thai clearly knows how to make a detour feel completely intentional.
Luckily for Thai, his mom doesn't hold it against him, but their bond has actually become stronger because of his intelligence and antics, and Danielle knows that Thai will never leave her side, no matter what.
"Thai and Danielle have a relationship that only a person with a service dog could ever understand. He is her eyes. He goes with her absolutely everywhere," Michele said. "Even when Thai isn't working and we are home, if she leaves the room, he will get up and follow her everywhere."
That kind of loyalty makes the snack runs even funnier.
Danielle has been blind since she underwent retinoblastoma surgery when she was two years old. However, she says that her life has been much better since she met Thai.
"A cane only shows you obstacles below waist level. Thai helps her get around much more easily and finds things on command, such as elevators, empty seats, stairs, and obviously ... pet stores."
"The foundation my sister got him from, the Guide Dog Foundation, selects dogs for you based on their personality," Michele added. "Thankfully, they matched her with Thai because not only is he her service dog, but he is definitely our family's entertainment as well."
Thai may be working, but he is also clearly in it for the treats.
After Thai’s secret treat runs, you have to see how a mall security standoff ended in belly rubs. Pupper challenges mall security guards to a showdown, ends up being showered with belly rubs.
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