Dogs have a way of making us think they’re in control, pulling off sneaky little tricks and ignoring us when it suits them. But if there’s one thing dog owners have figured out, it’s that there are certain magic words that will break through any distraction. One hilarious video proves just how predictable our furry friends can be when we use their favorite words to get their attention!
In this clip, a dog owner in Tennessee was calling for her dog, Libby, who had wandered off behind the house. She called her name once—nothing. Twice—still nothing. After four attempts, Libby was nowhere to be seen. Knowing her dog all too well, the owner decided to switch up her approach. If calling Libby by name wasn’t enough, maybe a word she couldn’t ignore would do the trick.
So, with the camera rolling, she yelled the one thing guaranteed to send any dog into high alert: “SQUIRREL!”
And just like that, Libby came flying around the corner, ears perked, tail wagging, and body in full sprint. Whatever she had been up to behind the house was completely forgotten—because, clearly, there was a squirrel emergency to handle!
It’s one of those moments that every dog owner can relate to. We call their names, over and over, and they act as if they’ve suddenly lost their hearing. But the second they hear a word like “walk,” “treat,” “ball,” or “squirrel,” they come running like their lives depend on it.
The best part? Libby’s reaction proves that dogs hear us the first time—they just don’t always care! If the word isn’t something exciting, they’re more than happy to keep doing whatever they were doing. But the second they think there’s a game to play, a snack to eat, or a squirrel to chase, suddenly, they’re at full attention.
The video has people everywhere laughing because we’ve all been there. The universal struggle of calling a dog and getting zero response—until, of course, you say the magic word.
At the end of the day, dogs may try to outsmart us, but we know exactly how to get their attention when it really matters. Whether it’s food, fun, or a little harmless deception, we always have a trick up our sleeves to outwit our sneaky, lovable pups.
And let’s be honest—who wouldn’t come running for a squirrel?
