Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/pit-bull-dance-routine/

Dogs, as science will tell you, are capable of so many spectacular things! Their sense of smell could be up to 100,000 times as acute as our own, and they prove their wide variety of skills every day in diverse fields such as law enforcement, medicine, and companionship. However, science may also tell you there are some things dogs can’t do: rhythm, especially, seems to be hard for canines and most non-human animals to keep up with. While they may enjoy the pleasant sounds of music, or the excitement of a live performance, dogs just can’t dance — or can they?

While their moves might not be as tight and well-executed as, say, a super bowl half-time dancer’s, dogs and their trainers have been able to pull off some impressive performances! Thanks to canine’s naturally trainable and cooperative dispositions, they’re able to pirouette right over nature’s roadblocks with enough patience. No one demonstrates this better than Olga Dudareva and her beloved American Staffordshire, Honda!

Olga runs Good Dog Omsk, an obedience school in Omsk, Siberia. On her YouTube channel, she and Honda put their training to use with entertaining dances, like this one set to The Vienna Volksoper Orchestra’s rendition of Léo Delibes’ “Ballet Suite from ‘Sylvia:’ Pizzicato:”

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Honda, clearly focused on her routine, shows off a whole lot of dancing talent — as Olga guides her through the steps, she twirls, weaves, and balances on two legs for several seconds! Honda’s trainable nature is readily apparent in the clip, which was originally posted in 2014. Those wanting an update on the pup can find her modeling proper harness safety in a more recent clip from 2019, showing her dedication to not just the theatrical side of her training, but the everyday as well.

Olga and Honda are the best of friends — in a blog post about her relationship with Honda, Olga writes about dispelling the negative stereotypes around Staffies and similar breeds that are often labelled as aggressive: “The relationship we have with Honda can be achieved with many dogs. […] And this is only in the power of the owner of the dog. But it does not depend on the breed.”

“My mission,” she writes, “is to teach as many dog owners as possible how to achieve harmony in relationships with their pets.” With Honda and her dance moves as evidence, it looks like Olga’s mission is on the right track. While dogs may not be naturally gifted rhythmists, their ability to love, connect, and grow with the right person is unparalleled. Check out more of Honda and Olga’s dances on her YouTube channel, or read more at her official site!

Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog