Border Collie With Eye-Catching 'Star' Nose Crosses Her Paws Like A Little Lady
There are plenty of funny things border collies do when there aren't sheep for them to herd, like run incredibly fast, or jump very, very high. But have you ever seen a fancy schmancy collie cross her paws like a little lady? If your answer is no, you're in luck! This very sweet moment is now captured in a TikTok video with over 100 million views. Let's just say this girl's a star for more reasons than one.
@bordercollievanilla Simply a Lady 🎀 #smiledog #bordercollie #cutedog #doggy #doglife
Her name is Vanilla, and she's a border collie with the most darling star right in the middle of her nose. In her super loopable six-second clip, Vanilla offers both her paws to her dog parent, who (of course) graciously accepts, ending in the sweetest hand-hold. Vanilla does all this with a smile, no less.
Thousands of enthused fans expressed their admiration for Vanilla in the comments. One called the gesture, "the gentlest hand hold for this most distinguished lady!" Another admired her unique star-nose and sweet expression, saying, "She looks like an extremely realistic puppet designed to teach children about tea etiquette." Somehow, that description makes perfect sense.
Are some dog breeds naturally dainty?
Her viewers are right, Vanilla is one distinguished little lady. But what exactly makes a dog fancy like Vanilla, and are dainty personalities based on breed? Dainty here means refined, elegant, and serene, rather than easily injured. As one viewer noted in the comments of the video, that sounds a bit like royalty, no? There are, indeed, fancy pups from history who were once revered by royalty, like the Shih Tzu, known for being a great companion in the Chinese imperial court.
However, being loved by royalty doesn't necessarily make for a dainty dog. Shih Tzus, for example, were bred to be alert dogs and can be quite noisy and energetic; helpful, sure, but not quite serene. Notably too is that even though border collies are known as one of the smartest dog breeds, their herding ancestry can also make them little busy bodies. So, it seems that breed isn't necessarily the end-all, be-all when it comes to dainty pups.
Based on the TikToker's other videos displaying a well-trained Vanilla, a dog's level of elegance and calm day-to-day might actually be a mix of their individual traits, their breed, and how the pup is trained or socialized. In fact, dogs who get treated like true royalty, despite their breed, are more likely to act like it. It's true, positive reinforcement training (or rewarding dogs for good behavior) can encourage desired behaviors, such as elegant hand holds. So, treat your fur baby like the dainty darling they are, and watch them prove you right!