Woman opens back door to let dog out, doesn’t expect what happens next

Dogs tend to have quirky routines that never make sense and one 10-month-old puppy takes the crown for being the most unusual.

Rocky, a flat-coated retriever and black Labrador mix, gets very excited about going outside. As soon as his owner Alexis Crowley opens the door, he goes flying. Literally.

“We don’t know how it started, but he does it almost every time he is let outside,” Crowley told Newsweek.

Crowley said Rocky will launch himself off the top of the porch, completely ignoring all the steps he could have taken instead. Sometimes he might walk a few steps and then leap, but it always includes some type of jump.

“We’re a little nervous about it because when he gets older there is a risk,” Crowley said. “So far he has had no problems. He just loves to do it.”

As of now, Rocky’s jumping habit only seems to happen when going outside. But being a hunting dog, Crowley and her fiancé Garrett Hester are trying to teach Rocky specific commands.

Standing 6-feet tall, Hester holds a dog toy by his head for Rocky to retrieve. The dog will come nose-to-nose with Hester when jumping for the toy, Crowley said. Other than that, Rocky does not seem to leap for anything else, which is a plus as the couple are training him not to jump on them or anyone else.

The October 24 video, which was posted to the account @alexisblogslife, has gone viral with over 1.4 million views and 161,300 likes. Viewers are flooding the comment section with laughter and expressing their amazement for this doggo’s hops.

“I would be letting that dog out to potty CONSTANTLY, because this is so funny. I love the tail wags in the air like a lil propeller,” wrote one viewer.

Doggy Bathroom Routines

Other dog owners might have noticed quirky bathroom routines their dogs have. One of the most common ones is circling around and around before finally going. And as it turns out, there are a few reasons behind the spinning.

For starters, the circling around can be traced back through a dog’s ancestry, according to an American Kennel Club article. A theory suggests that this behavior mimics the routine a dog might have had in the wild.

The movement helps to flatten the surface, allowing dogs to check the space for unwanted creatures, making it cleaner, and more comfortable for a potential nap.

Another reason for the circling is that it gives dogs information on the spot. They are able to pick up scents from potential predators. Sniffing the spot lets them know who showed up on the site, what time, and perhaps some information about their health.

And finally, what owners find silly can truly just be a dog’s way of helping the bowel movement down the intestinal tract. Hey, if it works, it works.

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.