Bodyboarding dog uses balancing skills to fetch ball

This is Abby, she’s a lab beagle mix. Abby’s backstory is that she had a tough beginning in life. Abby was rescued from an abusive hone and sent to a high kill Shelter in North Carolina.
Abby was set to be euthanized, despite her young age of about a year and a half, due to over crowding. With only days left, a worker at the shelter called Jersey Shore Animal Rescue in New Jersey.

The worker explained to the staff that due to over crowding they had a sweet dog but she was set to be euthanized. The shelter asked if Jersey Shore could take her if they drove her up to their shelter. Jersey Shore Animal shelter agreed to take her. Abby was at the shelter in NJ for three days.

That’s where her story begins with my family. My Mother and I went to the shelter and saw Abby playing with the only toy she had, a tennis ball. Abby would go to the far end of her concrete kennel and push the ball with her nose to the opposite side. Then she would go and retrieve it! We submitted our application for adoption, the next day we were approved. Abby made herself right at home. However, she seemed sad. Low self esteem due to severe abuse. Abby would cower and shake when we would pet her. The vet explained this behavior was due to abuse. She was anticipating pain.

Being a lab she was afraid of water. So I decided To help her gain her esteem and her trust in humans back. I did This by placing her on the bodyboard and having a ball drift in the pool. I would gently glide her over to her beloved ball so she could retrieve it. After a few days. Abby learned how to shift her weight to get the bodyboard to move. Abby has been an asset to our family, we adore her and hope you enjoy the video!