This Labrador might have failed his guide dog training six years ago, but he’s melted hearts with the one specific skill that he holds onto.
Despite being bred to be a guide dog, it wasn’t meant to be for Joey the 7-year-old Labrador. The poor pup wasn’t cut out for the role as he “was too anxious,” his owner Izzy Rosenblatt told Newsweek.
Now, Joey is living the “funemployed” life and it looks pretty great. But that isn’t to say he didn’t learn anything from his training, because even now, he still has certain habits that he can’t let go of.
Indeed, whenever Rosenblatt, 32, from the U.K. is walking Joey, he stays stuck to her side, one step behind her, and stops every time she stops.
Joey the failed guide dog who sticks to his owner’s side during walks.
@funemployedjoey / TikTok
“He always walks close to us unless he’s allowed to go further afield (in the park) but even then, he will always stay close” Rosenblatt said. “His recall is almost perfect, he’ll always come back when called. He can pee on command, and he knows wait, stay, look, sit and stop.
She continued: “He is extremely gentle and loveable, he really responds to trusted and loved familiar people and shows his love so loudly.”
Although Joey was evidently adept at learning certain tasks, he can get very nervous around dogs, people, and loud noises, such as fireworks. There was no way of knowing how he would react in unpredictable situations, so he didn’t succeed in becoming a guide dog.
Nonetheless, his owner couldn’t be happier that he came into her life instead.
“We love him so much, he is so sweet, kind, and protective. We also love knowing that he is still a dog enjoying his life. He’s still a greedy Lab who wants all the food, and we pay an extremely high rate of cheese tax,” Rosenblatt said.
In fact, he even stole some cheese off the table recently, which is the first time his owners have seen him misbehave since they got him. They weren’t even annoyed, as Rosenblatt told Newsweek that she was “secretly so proud of him” for acting like any other dog.
Joey has certainly come into his own and isn’t afraid to let his personality shine through. His owner likes to say that he does everything with 120 percent effort, whether that’s eating, sleeping, playing, or snuggling. He does everything to the maximum.
Rosenblatt loves sharing videos of Joey on TikTok (@funemployedjoey) as she documents the life of “the most successful unsuccessful guide dog.” A clip showing how closely he sticks to his owner’s side has delighted internet users, with over 64,800 views and 3,000 likes on TikTok at the time of writing.
Since the clip went viral, social media users have been full of praise for Joey and the one guide dog skill he still holds onto.
“I’ve had so many messages and amazing comments. It’s so nice to see how his character can be felt even through the screen. He really is so special and I’m so happy to share him with the world,” Rosenblatt said.
As it turns out, Joey doesn’t just have fans online, as his owner regularly gets stopped in the street by people complimenting the Labrador. After all, it’s Joey’s world and we’re just living in it.
Joey may have failed as a guide dog, but he’s certainly become a TikTok sensation. Many internet users took to the comments to praise the certified good boy.
One comment on the post reads: “He may have failed their test but he’s easily won our hearts.”
Another TikTok user wrote: “I bet he failed for the cutest reason like being too social or too excitable. Gorgeous boy.”
While another commenter added: “How did he fail? He’s so gorgeous.”
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