Border Collie's Gorgeous Dance Routine With Dog Mom Will Bring You To Tears
Sometimes, a moment is so heartwarming it can bring you to tears, like this elderly golden retriever's surprise birthday party. Yet, imagine a dog's dance performance with a similar effect. You read that right: Rhythm the border collie has wowed TikTok with a gorgeous dance routine with his dog mom. We're convinced that watching them perform will easily bring you to tears.
@ronidogdance My whole heart 🖤#dogmom #foryou #dogtraining
You may have seen some wonderful choreography set to Sia's song "Elastic Heart," but we assure you, there's nothing quite like Rhythm and his dog mom, Roni Sagi's, incredibly lovely routine. The duo's perfectly synchronized moves featured a totally in-sync Rhythm, who seemed to know every move like the back of his paw. The talented canine commenced to leap, spin, and gracefully turn during this almost one-minute routine in a way that looks like it takes a whole lot of skill.
"Oh my god, I have never seen a dog dancing like this," said one amazed viewer in the comments. Another commenter shared how moved they were with the routine, saying, "I know he's so happy and feels so bonded with her." These commenters aren't the only ones to take notice of this amazing dance: Roni and Rhythm performed on "America's Got Talent!" In fact, the duo were runners-up in Season 19 in 2024.
How do dogs learn to dance?
Rhythm and Roni's dog-human dance routine is super impressive to watch, and — for plenty of dog parents — super aspirational! Just how easy (or difficult) is it to train a dog to dance? Where do you even start? First, let's start with a definition. Musical canine freestyle, or dog dancing, is a choreographed routine by a dog and its handler that mixes obedience training with music.
Groups around the world began to create canine freestyle programs around 1989, and the World Canine Freestyle Organization made it an official U.S. dog sport in 1999. However, you definitely don't have to compete to teach your pup some cool moves. As many dog trainers explain, the best place to start is with a sort of "lure" command.
TikToker and dog trainer Roni Sagi shared on her website about luring: "The goal is for your dog to follow your hand while you're holding a treat, so you can guide him to move the way you want and teach different tricks." From there, other dance moves might be easier to adopt. Perhaps most important, however, to a long-lasting dog-human dance duo is the strong bond you create with your pup. Training canines to do anything, especially mental exercises for dogs like dance routines, requires a lot of trust and patience.