Merle Australian Shepherd Puppy Gets A New Playpen And Proves He Can't Be Tamed
Sometimes, a dog can be almost too smart for its own good. That's definitely the case with a clever Australian shepherd puppy named Murph. In a hilarious video that's been viewed more than 3.7 million times on TikTok and accumulated over 389,000 likes, Murph sniffs the inside of his new playpen. One minute later, the puppy is jubilantly navigating the playpen down the hallway like an overgrown hamster in an oversized wheel, heading straight for the stairs. The video is captioned, "Guess we should call him Rocky now! The playpen was supposed to contain him...he had other plans 🐶 🐾."
@murphthemerle Guess we should call him Rocky now! The playpen was supposed to contain him...he had other plans 🐶 🐾 #puppy #puppylife #australianshepherd #australianshepherdpuppy #puppiesoftiktok
Many viewers grabbed onto and ran with the reference to Rocky, a central character in one of 2026's biggest blockbuster movies. "Rocky from 'Project Hail Mary' in his xenonite ball 😅," wrote one person, and several others quoted the joyful alien character: "Amaze amaze amaze! Hi Grace! Hi Grace friend!"
One netizen observed, "Can't be tamed, can't be contained 😂," but Murph is far from the only pet who has outsmarted the playpen meant to rein him in. One person shared, "I was fostering two puppies and also had this playpen. They too figured out how to roll it like a hamster ball." Another commented, "My cat has this same playpen and also does this lol."
How smart are Australian shepherds?
Murph's TikTok profile describes the precious pooch with the merle coat as a "professional sock thief & part time genius 🐶." One viewer of the video wrote, "Ooo he's the problematic kind of smart," and another commented, "Welcome to the life of owning an Aussie. They will always find a way to out smart us. lol." But just how smart are Australian shepherd dogs in general?
Bred to herd livestock, Aussie shepherds are extremely intelligent animals, quick to learn new skills, and adept at solving problems on their own. They're also one of the most active dog breeds. This combination of cleverness and abundant energy means not every pet lover is able to handle these dogs. Some individuals who bring home Aussie shepherds quickly discover the hidden downsides of owning a highly intelligent dog, such as the fact that these animals can easily become bored and turn to destructive behaviors to entertain themselves. They require lots of mental stimulation and regular exercise to stay happy and healthy. These dogs usually excel at learning new tricks, training for agility competitions or nose work, and figuring out puzzle toys.
Want to read about more darling doggos like Murph? Check out this Australian shepherd playing on the slide with her toddler sibling, and this mini Aussie puppy showing off her new tricks, who wants to skip right to the treats.