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Zack Keithy, our author, is a certified veterinarian technician (UC Blue Ash) for over 6 years (contact him here). The articles written here are based on his expertise and experience, combined with a review by our expert vet reviewers including Dr M. Tarantino. Learn more about us here.
A Doberman named Mazikeen is going viral after a video captured her caught between temptation and suspicion. Shared on Instagram by the account @zakiyathedobie, the clip shows Mazikeen sitting squarely in the middle of the living room, ears pulled back into what her owner describes as full “airplane mode,” eyes darting back and forth between her dad and the person filming.
The reason for her hesitation becomes clear once the on screen text explains the situation, her dad is calling her over and waving a treat, but she can hear bath water running somewhere nearby. Despite clearly wanting the treat, Mazikeen isn’t convinced it’s worth the risk, weighing the reward in front of her against what she suspects is coming next.
The caption accompanying the video sums up her expression perfectly as “pure fear in those eyes LOL.” The clip has resonated with fellow dog owners, many of whom recognized the exact look of a dog who knows exactly what a treat offer might really mean.
My thoughts: What makes this video work is how specific and readable Mazikeen’s hesitation actually is, ears back, eyes moving between two people, clearly doing the math on whether the treat is worth the bath waiting on the other side of it.
Dogs pick up on far more contextual detail than they’re usually given credit for, in this case, apparently including exactly what a running faucet in another room means for her afternoon. It’s a funny video, but it’s also a small window into how much dogs are constantly reading their environment, even when we assume they’re just excited about a snack.
