Dog Who Thinks She's 'Invisible' Attempts Hide-and-Seek, Fails Miserably

Hide-and-seek is a game that many dogs love to play, but one excitable golden retriever hasn't quite grasped what it means to hide, much to social media viewers' amusement. Whenever Figgy the golden retriever isn't snoozing on the couch or eating everyone else's food, she's attempting another round of hide-and-seek. She much prefers hiding in plain sight, however, so she will crouch as low to the ground as possible until she's suddenly "invisible." Figgy's owner, Lynzi Judish, told Newsweek that "it's honestly the most endearing thing," and she and her partner, Dave Brown, love to play along. They even put on Oscar-worthy performances to pretend they can't see the dog right there in front of them. Figgy may need to find some new hiding places, though, just to make sure she doesn't make it too easy for them. "Figgy has been doing the hide-and-seek game since she was little," Judish said. " It just took us a while to understand that she thought we couldn't see her."

After capturing the dog's latest attempt at hiding, Judish shared the hilarious video on Figgy's dedicated TikTok account, (@figgyandrosemary). As the clip shows Figgy lying on the ground outside, the caption says that "if she gets down low, she thinks you can't see her." Brown is seen pretending to search high and low for the missing dog, who then pounces out to surprise him. The clip has been viewed more than 1.7 million times and received over 335,400 likes since it was shared in December. "That morning we went outside for a walk, and when we got back, she didn't want to come inside. We let her stay out for a minute, and when we saw her crouching, we knew exactly what she wanted," Judish said. Playing hide-and-seek with your dog may show its lack of intelligence, but the West Suburban Humane Society (WSHS) in Illinois says that it can also provide some much-needed mental stimulation. It requires the dog to use critical thinking techniques and its sense of smell, which can both aid with development. To have a successful game, the WSHS says, it's vital to teach commands such as sit and stay and praise the pet every time it manages to find you. Over time, the game can become gradually harder for the pup, but it's best to start easy at first.

How Did Social Media React?

Since the clip went viral online, many social media users were left stunned by Figgy's impressive hiding ability. Judish said it's been "really cool to see a post where the internet has such nice things to say." She's loved seeing the likes and comments come pouring in, with most people full of praise for the golden. "Overall, the feedback to this video has been so sweet. Most people think it's adorable or they've made a joke about how she really is invisible to play along. We're just glad to see so many people who love Figgy just as much as we do," she said. With more than 2,200 comments on the viral post already, plenty of TikTok users lauded Figgy and Brown for putting on such a challenging game of hide-and-seek. One comment reads: "She is one with the ground. Her camouflage is next level!" Another person responded: "I was so confused because all I saw was an empty driveway and I was like, what is she talking about? Then BAM, a dog appeared. So crazy!" Another TikToker commented: "The best part about this, as insanely adorable she is, you guys entertain her and play along. Dogs teach us to lighten up, they are truly a blessing." 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.