Dog Staging Protest at Having to Leave Park Has Internet in Stitches

A dog who dared to defy their owner when it came time to leave the park is proving a hit with canine lovers on Twitter.

They say that every dog must have his day. For Alison Fitzgerald Kodjak's pet pooch that day came on January 13.

It started like any other walk around the local dog park. However, things took an interesting turn towards the tail end of this particular trip out.

Eager to remain in the park with their fellow furry, four-legged friends, Alison's dog decided to take a stand.

Or, rather, a sit.

Taking to the floor, for their very own sit-in protest, the defiant doggo's message appeared simple: you can take me home, but that doesn't mean I have to walk.

Lying between the road and curb, the rebellious dog appears only too happy to wait it out, evidently confident their owner will crack and let them get their way.

The canine equivalent of a toddler tantrum, Alison was at least able to see the funny side, sharing a picture of the pup to Twitter.

"This is my dog protesting leaving the dog park today," she wrote alongside the tweet, which has garnered over 7,000 retweets and more than 138,000 likes.

Alison told Newsweek her dog is called Sausalito and is a border collie, Australian shepherd mix and pandemic puppy who will turn two this month.

She says it's not uncommon for Sausalito to stage these kinds of sit-ins, noting he "definitely has strong opinions."

"When he doesn't want to leave the park he will either evade me and the leash (embarrassing) or lay down in protest," she said. "He also stages work slowdowns when he realizes we're headed home from a walk."

While Alison would be forgiven for feeling a little frustrated by the situation, she can at least take solace from the various replies to her post, with dog owners coming out of the woodwork to share similar experiences.

One dog staged a similar protest after their owner refused to buy them a bagel from the bagel shop.

Another turned their back on their owner because she didn't like the new jumper they had got her.

This dog refused to move after their owner got them a lion's mane style soft cone following a bit of surgery.

Then there was Buddy, who stopped completely still on the pavement just 40 yards from the front door.

Another dog appeared to take up break dancing as a means of voice their dissent.

And let's not forget this unhappy pooch who got embroiled in a tense standoff with their owner after refusing to get out of the car.

A dog's refusal to comply can be attributed to one of several different issues. While they may simply be having too much fun and therefore opposed to the idea of going home, they may also be scared or stressed.

The Dog Advisory Council recommends owners "figure out what the trigger is and then either work on exposing them to it slowly to help them condition their response, or take them on another route."

"It seems obvious, but sometimes dogs may not understand what you're asking them to do," they add.

Above all else, they say owners should be "kind rather than firm."

"No matter how hot or cold it is, or how embarrassed or frustrated you are with his refusal to walk, make sure that you are always kind," they said. "Keep your voice firm but gentle and loving so that your dog doesn't feel that he's bad or in trouble."

This particular dog's protest comes hot on the heels of a video in which a golden retriever refused to get out of bed.

A different dog, but the same breed, also went viral after throwing a super cute tantrum.

Update 01/14/22, 10:47 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment and pictures from Alison Fitzgerald Kodjak.