Dogs are known for being incredibly intelligent, so it’s no surprise that they can be taught to do a lot of different things. But some dogs’ skills go beyond regular fetching and playing dead.
Take Benny the dog, for instance. The 5-year-old Labrador has a very unique talent that even outshines most human abilities: he’s a professional ice skater.
It all started a few years ago when his owner, Cheryl Del Sangro, tried taking him for a spin on the ice to see how he handled it.
Del Sangro, herself a professional skating teacher, was amazed to see her pup’s proficiency on the ice.
Now, Benny has his own skating outfits to keep warm on the rink and his own special doggy ice skates. He and Del Sangro practice twice a month at the Las Vegas Ice Center. Benny even enjoys a good game of ice hockey. He’s a natural on the ice.
It was fate that he and Del Sangro found one another. Benny was nearly put down as a puppy. But then his owner found her way to him and knew right away they were meant to be together.
“From day one, I couldn’t believe how anyone could not want this dog,” said Del Sangro. “He was absolutely perfect. We had this bond from the first day.”
It might seem silly to take a Labrador to the ice skating rink, but Del Sangro asked herself why she couldn’t.
“Our daughter, Brittany, I taught her to skate when she was 17 months old,” said Del Sangro. “I thought, well, if I could get a little 17-month-old to skate, why couldn’t I get him to skate?”
As for Benny, he loved it right away. He was a total natural on the ice, so Del Sangro knew she had made the right call.
“He followed me around and was running after me on the ice,” she said. “He was rolling around on his back and everything. He enjoyed it so much. I had him on a leash first in the rink and I helped him along with his feet. He knows how to turn now, and do crossovers, and he can do little bunny hops with his front feet. He’s getting more powerful and soon we’re going to have to get the skates professionally put together.”
Those are some amazing skills for a dog.
After all, most humans aren’t steady on their feet when it comes to ice skating, so Benny is leaving them far behind. Del Sangro says he loves it more all the time.
“He’s the happiest dog, and he loves learning new tricks,” she said. “Now, you can’t keep him off the ice. He just keeps getting better and better. You can’t help but smile when you see it.”
Benny might be the first dog on ice skates, but there’s another dog who’s keeping up with him in the roller-skating category.
Duoduo is a Sharpei mix who lives in southwestern China.
He’s a roller-skating pro … with a little bit of extra flare. Duoduo likes to hit the streets to skate with his trademark sunglasses and red cape so that everyone knows it’s really him.
At 8 years old, he’s an amazing testimony to how much dogs can learn. Oh, and if you think that a roller-skating dog isn’t interesting enough, Duoduo can also ride a scooter and a tricycle.
It’s enough to get anybody awing when he dodges around colorful cones on his tiny skates, his red cape flowing behind him.
Though Duoduo enjoys performance a bit more than Benny does, there’s no doubt he’s just as talented when it comes to doing doggie tricks on skates.
Duoduo is used to performing. He’s been showing off his skills since he was just a little older than a puppy. He can also balance on a ball and leap through hoops. It makes the old routine of “sit, stay, beg” seem a little unimpressive in comparison.
It’s quite the sight to see.
The tiny Sharpei mix, fully outfitted from nose to tail, goes streaming down the street on a little scooter, or else weaving his way through an obstacle course on his roller skates. Talent comes in small packages because there’s no doubt that Duoduo has more skills than most people when it comes to being on wheels.
As for Benny, he’ll continue to earn fame with his amazing ice routine. The two dogs will find that when it comes to skating, there’s room for both of them at the rink.
Watch Benny in action in the video below.
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