CURSE YOU AND YOUR DOGGY SPEED!!

December 14, 2014 6:59 PM

Baby Elephant gets Frustrated Chasing a Dog. [slyt | cute]
posted by quin (14 comments total)

*scamper* *scamper* *scamper*

**THUD** **THUD** **THUD**
posted by xingcat at 7:14 PM on December 14, 2014 [1 favorite]

Ha! My stumpy-legged dog Stewie would enjoy that because he LOVES to be chased but prefers it to be by lumbering animals (like me) that can't catch him.
posted by FelliniBlank at 7:28 PM on December 14, 2014 [1 favorite]

Part of me (my worst part) was hoping it'd end with the dog running between the legs of the videographer and the elephant following straight into the camera "WHAM". Call me when you get one like that.
posted by oneswellfoop at 7:36 PM on December 14, 2014 [1 favorite]

Dog is all: "Wheeeee! You can't catch me!" No wonder the little dude is frustrated!
posted by orrnyereg at 7:40 PM on December 14, 2014

That was fantastic.
posted by rtha at 7:53 PM on December 14, 2014

Notice the adult elephants forming up to protect the youngster at the end. Even if it doesn't look like there's any danger, they're not taking chances.
posted by Kevin Street at 8:21 PM on December 14, 2014 [1 favorite]

I thought it was more like the elephant saying "Mom, the kids won't play with me!!"

I really need to stop anthropomorphizing.
posted by orrnyereg at 8:33 PM on December 14, 2014 [5 favorites]

I was looking for the dog to trip and see what happened if the elephant got close. My dog used to chase squirrels, but when he caught one. he would put it down and if it ran, he would chase it again. If it was still, he would walk away. He was in it for the chase, not the kill. I think baby elephant would have let him go.
posted by 724A at 9:42 PM on December 14, 2014

Notice the adult elephants forming up to protect the youngster at the end. Even if it doesn't look like there's any danger, they're not taking chances.

It seems like the mom is keeping a watchful eye on the baby elephant the whole time the chase is going on--notice how she is casually eating grass but always keeps turning so baby is in her line of sight the whole time.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 9:56 PM on December 14, 2014 [5 favorites]

I'll play with you, orrnyereg. TAG! You're it!
posted by five fresh fish at 11:43 PM on December 14, 2014 [1 favorite]

This is a great example of how dogs self-handicap during play. A healthy adult dog will, for example, slow down when playing with an older or injured dog, and will 'throw' wrestling matches with puppies so the puppies win sometimes.

That dog could have run really fast, or charged the elephant, or simply run away but he didn't. He ran exactly fast enough to keep the game going, and never led the elephant far from its family.
posted by workerant at 5:53 AM on December 15, 2014 [18 favorites]

For more of this (although in a less-good format), don't forget about /r/babyelephantgifs (previously)
posted by quaking fajita at 6:25 AM on December 15, 2014 [2 favorites]

I needed that. Thanks.
posted by kjs4 at 6:18 PM on December 15, 2014

Elephant play mud slider
posted by homunculus at 11:32 AM on January 14, 2015 [1 favorite]