Rescue Dog Takes On Big Responsibility in Forever Home: 'Working Overtime'

A rescue dog found his new calling when he came into his forever home nearly two years ago and has been dedicated ever since.

After his adoption, River, a former street dog, immediately jumped into his new working dog role, the owners shared with Newsweek via Instagram. Although it's not a typical job you see dogs doing. But it doesn't mean he doesn't take it seriously.

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A June 7 Instagram video posted to the account @riverthestreetdog shows River in action. He sprawled out on the grass with his head staring directly down. Without hesitation, he begins his "ant supervisor" role. He looks forward to doing his job and as the saying goes, if you work a job you love, you'll never work a day in your life.

Every once in a while, the ants will get out of line and River will lightly stamp his paws on the ground. And because he is constantly "working overtime" he sometimes will doze off on the job, but he's the best doggo for the job, which is why they let him keep working.

The owner explained that River does this seasonally when the ants are out more and when they are marching around, he's ready to supervise. It's almost an everyday occurrence at this point.

"He is generally a dog that likes to observe life around him and has very sensitive senses," the owner said.

Someone suggested that River is likely listening to the ants, which might shock people. Dogs have incredibly strong senses. They can hear upward of 45,000 Hz compared to humans who hear up to 23,000 Hz.

Listening to an ant seems nearly impossible to humans, but those tiny critters are just some of the insects with a frequency range dogs can pick up on. Other insects include flies, bees, crickets, grasshoppers, termites and spiders, according to Wag Walking. Dogs can hear the buzz and commotion of the tiniest of insects.

Viewer Reactions

The Instagram video amassed over 1.4 million views, 108,000 likes and 927 comments as of Wednesday.

"Thank god SOMEONE is doing this important job. It's gone unnoticed far too long," commented a viewer.

Another pointed out: "Ant patrol looks a lot more peaceful than squirrel patrol." Instead of furiously chasing a squirrel or barking as they scurry up a tree, River can perform his job calmly and quietly.

A third person wrote: "When he gets mad at the ants I just giggle."

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