Dog Hilariously Gets 'Taste of Her Own Medicine' With Toy That Barks Back

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A dog hilariously got a "taste of her own medicine" after her owner bought the popular dancing cactus toy, which mimics what it hears.

Celina Torres initially bought the toy for her son, but had much more fun with her 7-year-old dog, Arya.

She told Newsweek: "I originally purchased the cactus about a month ago for my 12 month old. I wanted to get his reaction to the toy, but he didn't have much of a reaction at all and wasn't really impressed by his new toy."

Arya the dog and the mimic cactus.
Arya the dog and the mimic cactus. A dog got a "taste of her own medicine" after a toy barked back at her. @littlecely

So instead she decided to put the purchase to use with her beloved pet, Arya, who she adopted from from Happy Valley Goose Bay SPCA in Canada in 2016, when she was a few months old.

The mom, from Newfoundland, shared a clip of Arya's hilarious reaction to the toy barking back to her TikTok account, @littlecely, last month, where it amassed more than 350,000 views.

"Someone wouldn't stop yelling at me. So, I gave her a taste of her own medicine," the on-screen text says.

And narrating Arya's thoughts, Torres added in the video caption: "Stop mimicking me!" In it Arya, part husky, barks twice, and the cactus, aptly named Spike, woofs back.

Arya the dog.
Arya the dog. Arya's owner confirmed her pet loves to bark at her. @littlecely

Seemingly unsure, Arya looks on at the cactus somewhat confused, before uttering a few more barks, which Spike dutifully replies to.

After a period of silence Arya returns to barking at the toy, and seems to back away when Torres brings it closer.

Dogs bark for a number of reasons, the American Kennel Club (AKC) explained: "Dogs don't just bark when they are excited, although it can seem that way when they are trying to get your attention.

"They bark when they are frightened, lonely, surprised, irritated, and more. That means there are different barks for different moods, as well."

Arya the dog.
Arya the dog. The TikTok video has been seen more than 300,000 times, as Torres confirmed she gave Arya some extra love. @littlecely

Torres called Arya a "sweetheart," but said: "She can be a bit demanding at times though. Which leads to barking until she gets what she wants. And it's usually me she barks at because I take the time to try to figure out what she wants.

"The day I took the video, my husband had taken my son to go shopping so I could have a bit of a break.

"So, it was just me and Arya, and after trying to figure out what she wanted I was stumped and decided that if I was going to get yelled at, I might as well be entertained as well, so I turned on the toy and started filming."

Torres confirmed Arya "eventually" stopped barking and she gave her some "extra love" for being a good sport.

People found the clip hilarious, as Amiebarty commented: "Cactus is proper pushing his buttons."

Carla Baptiste joked: "He bout to fight that cactus."

Caduceus joked: "That side eye, the hate is real."

Jeepindiane admitted: "I just went on Amazon and ordered on[e] for my barking dogs... lol."

Do you think your pet has what it takes to be part of our Newsweek Pet of the Week? Send pictures and videos to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could be our Pet of the Week.

About the writer

Rebecca Flood is Newsweek's Audience Editor for Life & Trends, and joined in 2021 as a senior reporter. Rebecca specializes in lifestyle and viral trends, extensively covering social media conversations and real-life features. She has previously worked at The Sun, The Daily Express, The Daily Star, The Independent and The Mirror, and has been published in Time Out. Rebecca has written in the UK and abroad, covering hard news such as Brexit, crime and terror attacks as well as domestic and international politics. She has covered numerous royal events including weddings, births and funerals, and reported live from the King's Coronation for Newsweek. Rebecca was selected to be one of Newsweek's Cultural Ambassadors. She is a graduate of Brighton University and lives in London.

Languages: English

You can get in touch with Rebecca by emailing r.flood@newsweek.com. You can follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @thebeccaflood.





Rebecca Flood is Newsweek's Audience Editor for Life & Trends, and joined in 2021 as a senior reporter. Rebecca specializes ... Read more