Woman Suddenly Realizes Her Guide Dog 'Took Advantage' of Her Blindness

The moment a guide dog "took advantage" of his owner's blindness has left people in stitches online.

Ashleigh Hertzig from New York shared a throwback video of loyal guide dog Yuri, who sadly died in December, remembering his cheeky streak.

In the clip, Hertzig said: "Thinking about the time my guide dog took advantage of my blindness and snuck this peanut butter jar on our walk," alongside a heartwarming video of Yuri gently carrying the almost empty peanut butter jar in his mouth.

Hertzig had Yuri as her guide dog for over nine years before he retired to the suburbs with her mother. Since his passing at age 12, she has been reminiscing about his quirks, including his occasional talent for sneaky food heists.

"The way he was breathing sounded off, so I felt for his nose to make sure he was OK, and that's when I discovered it," Hertzig told Newsweek. "I just laughed. I took it from him for the duration of our walk, but once we got back inside, I gave it back to him to lick."

Yuri had a history of unexpected finds, including once picking up a whole baguette in Central Park.

"Someone walking by was like, 'Hey, do you know your dog has an entire baguette in its mouth?' I did not know," Hertzig said. Another time, Yuri grabbed a dog toy from the pet aisle at Rite Aid, forcing Hertzig and a friend to purchase it for him.

Now with her second guide dog, Mira, Hertzig is adjusting to a new dynamic.

"Mira's motto is 'work hard, play harder,' whereas Yuri's was 'work hard then take a nap,'" she said.

The video of Yuri's antics has delighted the internet, with over three million views on Instagram, and it has brought some joy to Hertzig, who still misses her loyal friend.

"My friends and family know how much I've been missing Yuri and will randomly text me pictures, videos, or memories of him," she said. "Someone mentioned the peanut butter jar incident, so I went searching for the video. It made me smile, and I thought the world could use a little serotonin boost right now."

In the comments, people shared their reactions to Yuri's antics.

"This is priceless," said one commenter. While another wrote: "That was his emotional support peanut butter jar."

Hertzig was delighted that so many people enjoyed the video, adding: "It warms my heart knowing that even though Yuri's gone, he continues to bring joy to the millions of people who saw it."

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.