Dog Is Too Frightened To Step Onto An Escalator — Owner Carries Him Like A Baby

Jul 04, 2020 by apost team

In 2018, Google the golden retriever made waves around the internet when a video of him getting carried like a toddler on an escalator by his dad went around.

Even our favorite celebrities have fears. It's only natural that we are all afraid of something, and Google, a golden retriever "InstaDog," is no exception. Most people would say that Google is living his best life, going on adventures with his humans, and posting about them on social media.

However, he has one downfall — he's terrified of escalators. To his merit, his fear is what made him internet-famous. Google's humans posted a video to his Instagram, showing how Google had to be picked up and carried like a baby up the escalator.

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Google has been with his parents since 2016, according to his Instagram. They adopted him when he was just a baby, and he's treated just like their child. When scrolling through Google's Instagram page, you'll find tons of pictures of him in costumes and out on various adventures with his mom and dad.

However, there are no pictures of Google on an escalator. He sits and refuses to move as soon as he realizes what they are approaching.

There's a reason for this, though. Inside Edition spoke with veterinarian Dr. Karla Nova, who explains, "Remember when people take the escalators, they kind of like see where it ends, where the belt ends, so they can take that step. Dogs don't know that belt is going to end; they don't know what to do." The fear of escalators, vets say, is not a learned behavior, but an instinct.

When his dad leads Google to the base of the escalator, he stopped in his tracks. As you watch the video, you'll notice it took his dad only a few seconds to realize what he needed to do. Squatting down, he reached for Google. Google put his front paws around his dad's neck, and, much like a baby, his dad hoisted him into his arms, holding him on his hip.

As this took place in the middle of a crowded mall, there were plenty of bypassers. In the video, you can see where several people stop, a grin spreading across their face at the sight of a large dog carried like a small toddler. And it only makes sense. In the Instagram post, Google looks relatively helpless.

As the video went around, many vets stepped up to provide a friendly reminder to dog owners. Dogs can often be accidentally injured by escalators, as they're unsure how to safely step on and off. If you are unable to take your dog up the stairs or use an elevator, it's in your dog's best interest to pick them up, much like Google's dad did.

For Google, this treatment isn't abnormal. His parents already treat him like their baby in his day-to-day life. His dad recognized in advance that Google would refuse to go up the escalator and knew to carry him up to keep him safe.

While it may not be a traditional sight in a public mall, it was an adorable display for the other shoppers. Once they got off the escalator, Google was ready to go. If you ask him, he conquered his fear all on his own.

Have you ever had a dog who refused to take an escalator or enter another "scary" human contraption? Let us know below if you're giving your dog the same kind of treatment Google gets every day. If you aren't, though, don't tell your dog. They might get jealous.