Dog Models A Full Body Elephant Costume

Tommy, you're a good sport. You are hilarious in that perfectly tailored elephant costume. Yes, we’re laughing at you little buddy, but don't be mad. No other little dog on the Internet has brought us such joy as you.Show more

This is one of those “the best laid plans of mice and men” moments, where the rift between concept and practice won't meet. Dressing a dog in an elephant costume? It seemed like a good idea at the time. Reality would have different designs, however.

“Hey, I can't move in this thing! Hello out there, I can't move, and I can prove it!”

So Tommy tries to communicate with all the mental telepathy he can muster. Nothing gets the point across like keeling over where you stand. If this was supposed to be a dramatization of an elephant hunt, it succeeded. But even as a fail we still get to laugh our shoes off.

Tommy falls over, and his handler has to literally stand him up again. Tommy isn't upset. In fact, he takes it all rather in stride. Let's rephrase that, since Tommy isn't striding at all. No matter how incapable little Tommy seems in an elephant costume, you can't help but admire his fortitude.

Yet again his handler picks up Tommy, dusts him off, and resets him. Tommy does quite well with the standing up part. Those legs just don't quite have the muscle to power those chubby elephant legs forward, and down he how's again.

“How many more takes? This isn't working out for me! Hello!” Tommy seems to be saying.

We're going to try for take number three, Tommy. The man retrieves a nearly immobile Tommy the miniature elephant, and again rights the small but sturdy frame. And, what do you know, it still isn't working out. Tommy flops to his side, and this time it looks like his master takes the hint.

“That's OK Tommy,” his master says, “You did your best.”

We've seen some outrageous pet costumes before, but the elephant takes the cake. It looks like it would be very comfortable on a cold night, and very uncomfortable on a mild night. After all, Tommy comes with his own fur coat.

The man takes off the elephant mask and, surprise! There is a dog in there. Tommy can't jump out of the suit soon enough. With a shake and a shiver he shakes off the humiliation and defeat, and in an instant he jumps up on his master's legs to let him know everything is OK, and, you're still my best friend.

It's remarkable how much indignity dogs can take. The trait of being able to suck up is one of the most successful adaptations of the canine species (in contrast to cats, and we're not sure how they managed to make it among the human pack). Dogs are resilient. They just bounce back.

It's a great costume, by the way. Too bad you couldn't pull off the character. Oh, well, there's always next Halloween.