Watch Deaf and Senior Dog ‘Taking In the Scenery’ While on Boat Trip

A video of a senior dog enjoying a serene boat ride has captured the hearts of millions online.
The footage, posted by Isabella Furber (@picsofpoppy) on August 23, has since amassed more than 6.1 million views. Furber is a 25-year-old based in Sydney, Australia, who works in sustainability consulting, she told Newsweek.
In the clip, an 11-year-old miniature schnauzer called Oliver, is seen gazing out at the passing scenery while on a boat, seemingly lost in the moment.
The video, accompanied by a caption that reads, “Looked up and saw this,” shows Oliver sitting alongside passengers who appear to be engrossed in their phones.
Meanwhile, Oliver, undistracted by the devices, looks out over the water, soaking in the lush, green landscape and the charming houses along the shore. A message overlaid on the video reads: “While everyone else was on the phone, he was taking it all in.”
Furber told Newsweek that the pup is a beloved member of her extended family. “Oliver is a miniature schnauzer who turned 11 years old in January of this year, and he belongs to my aunt and uncle,” Furber said.
“He was a gift from my cousin, their daughter, who jokes that he’s the first grandbaby, an excuse to get them off her back about not having kids of her own.”
Sharing a bit about the pup’s personality, Furber added: “Oliver has always been pretty fearless around water, and while he’s great around all people, generally taking in the scenery wherever he goes, he’s not nearly so civil around squirrels and cats.”
Oliver’s display of intelligence and curiosity about his environment in the viral video is not surprising because canines are more like humans and other higher primates than previously thought. This is according to psychologist and lead canine researcher Stanley Coren from the University of British Columbia in Canada. He spoke about “how dogs think” at the American Psychological Association’s annual convention back in 2009.
“Their stunning flashes of brilliance and creativity are reminders that they may not be Einsteins but are sure closer to humans than we thought,” said Coren. He added that he believes dog’s mental abilities are close to a human child aged from 2 to 2.5 years old, according to several behavioral measures.
Coren said that there are three types of dog intelligence. They include instinctive intelligence (what the dog is bred to do); adaptive intelligence (how well the canine learns from its environment to solve problems); as well as working and obedience intelligence (the equivalent of “school learning”).
Despite his age, Oliver has lived an adventurous life. “He’s mostly deaf due to old age now but goes absolutely everywhere with my aunt,” Furber said.
“For years, she has split her time between Serbia, Canada and Malaysia. Oliver has traveled wherever my aunt goes; in this instance, to a family vacation in Montenegro where I recorded this clip. But he has been a loyal companion for all sorts of travel, even during my aunt’s cancer treatment at facilities in Canada and the U.S.”
The video resonated deeply with TikTok users, many of whom were touched by Oliver’s ability to live in the moment.
One user, @h2t2e2, commented, “I always cry when I think of animals experiencing life,” to which Furber replied: “This! It’s so emotional.”
Another user, @jazzybebecita, reflected on the nature of dogs, saying, “Dogs are always present, very mindful lil creatures.” Furber responded: “Making the most of their 12 little years.”
Other TikTok users echoed the sentiment that dogs have a unique way of embracing life. “My dog teaches me a lot about life,” wrote DRA, while another user, @lucymeganb, posted: “Dogs are too pure for this world.” User @chamberries agreed, simply commenting, “So innocent.”
One user, H, added: “Just the thought of imagining how a dog would describe his day makes me teary.”
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