Internet in Hysterics at Woman's Uncoordinated Rescue Dog: 'Tries His Best'

A dog attempting to catch a ball and failing spectacularly has delighted TikTok viewers.

In the clip, which has been viewed over 3.6 million times, Odin the 1-year-old rescue mixed breed can be seen swimming in a pool, before the video cuts to the adorable dog attempting to catch a ball, but instead flailing its paws and falling backwards.

Posted to the page @baileyandodin, the text explains "When I show the world how uncoordinated my dog is," while the caption reads: "He tries his best."

One user commented: "That's how my rescue hound is, she's so sweet tho," while another user commented: "The way he tried catching with the paws just too cute."

Rescuing a dog can be very rewarding, but the animals can often come with interesting quirks due to their challenging start in life. This could manifest itself as fear and anxiety, or a lack of coordination due to never having been played with as a puppy. Sometimes dogs are just born clumsy, and they may grow out of it or they may not. As long as it's not a medical issue and your dog is having fun, there's nothing to worry about.

Speaking to Newsweek, Odin's owner and rescuer Kelly said, "he's always been uncoordinated. I initially thought it was just an awkward puppy phase and figured he would eventually grow out of it. He actually ended up growing into it and became more uncoordinated as time went on. To this day, although he is full grown, he has trouble getting himself on the couch and cannot catch a treat that's thrown in the air—he will just let the treat hit his face.

According to Kelly, "Odin's special talent is swimming. When he was 7 months old, the first time he fell into the pool by accident he did not even react... he just sank. I quickly went to where he fell in, picked him up and he started to doggy paddle. Now he LOVES jumping into the pool and will find any chance to swim. Aside from swimming, Odin is great at making people laugh—from his excited wiggle butt, the way he prances when he walks and the dinosaur noises he makes when he's not getting the attention he deserves, he is always doing something quirky or unexpected."

Can he fetch? "He does enjoy fetch!", says Kelly, "He hasn't quite figured out how to catch though. If you throw a ball up, in hopes he will catch it, he just lets the ball hit his face. His depth perception isn't the best."

Why Is My Dog So Clumsy?

Like humans, some dogs are just born clumsy, and bigger dogs are naturally more ungainly due to their weight and large feet. If you suddenly notice that your dog has lost its sense of balance however, it may indicate a health issue and you should book an appointment with your vet.

Handicappedpets.com explains that it could be ataxia, a condition that "occurs when a dog loses their coordination due to a sensory dysfunction. A dog diagnosed with ataxia may have unusual movement in their legs, head, body or all three depending on the type of ataxia. Additionally their gait and proprioception, or a dog's awareness of their feet while walking, can be impacted."

WagWalking.com has a list of activities that are perfect for a clumsy dog.

Yoga for Dogs

Dogs inspired one of the best known yoga positions, the downward facing dog, so it makes sense that they may be able to master a few more positions. "Your dog will love doga because they enjoy spending time with you, says WagWalking, "stretching, and just hanging out, which is basically what doga is. In fact, most dogs are already practicing yoga on a daily basis."

Chores Time

WagWalking suggests picking up trash can be a good way to interact with your clumsy dog with fewer accidents than normal.

"All dogs like to help" they say, "just like with children, if you tell them it's a game, they will love it. You can train your poochie to help with chores even if they are clumsy. Just don't do anything that takes a special skill or steady walking. Wad up some paper and throw it on the ground. Kick it around and let your pooch get excited about it. They will likely try to kick it or pick it up by biting it. As soon as your dog does that, tell them how pawsome they are and give them a treat. Keep repeating until your fur buddy picks it up without encouragement."

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? We want to see the best ones! Send them in to life@newsweek.com and they could appear on our site.

Update 1/25/2023, 4:28 a.m. EST: This article was updated to add quotes from Odin's owner.