Avalanche rescue dogs have a tough job, but it doesn’t mean they don’t take time to unwind after a grueling day of work.
Truckee, a black lab who works as a rescue dog at Lake Tahoe's Heavenly Mountain Resort, has learned how to ski without the costly equipment. In a video posted to Facebook on Thursday by his handler, Chris Child, Truckee is seen lowering himself onto his belly and giving himself a push with his hind legs.
Tail wagging, he reaches cruising speed and rolls over onto his back, legs up in the air, to slide about 200 feet down the mountain.
The video, which has gone viral in multiple countries, has been viewed nearly 2 million times on Child’s Facebook page alone since he posted it on Thursday.
Child's Facebook and Instagram photos show that Truckee, who will turn 6 later this month, isn't afraid to cut loose when not busy at work.
KTLA in Los Angeles reported that Truckee is one of a team of dogs at Heavenly trained to help locate and rescue skiers trapped in emergencies. The area has experienced 37 feet of snow so far this year.
The 4,800-acre Heavenly, located on the California-Nevada border in South Lake Tahoe, is the biggest ski resort in California. U.S Congressman and former entertainer Sonny Bono died in a skiing accident on the Nevada side of the resort in 1998.
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