Meet Kiara The Volleyball Dog

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Right now, we will do anything to keep ourselves entertained since going to work is not an option unless, of course, you are in the category of essential workers. We have, therefore, browsed different social media platforms watching videos ranging from cooking to braiding and even home renovations. However, one interesting video that has recently surfaced is of a dog whose volleyball skills will put some of ours to shame. We are talking of Kiara, the volleyball dog who has become an Instagram celebrity within a couple of days of her showing how well she can play the sport. Here is more about Kiara.

The origin of her name

Some people believe in reincarnation, but is it possible that a fictional character from a movie can also have some of its traits in a living animal? Well, scientists believe in The Dorian Gray effect such that names influence personality and even physical appearance. Whether true or not, if you have ever watched “Lion King II,” then you must have noticed that Simba’s and Nala’s daughter, Kiara, is one playful cub who goes chasing butterflies and anything that moves. Similarly, Kiara, the volleyball dog, is living up to her name since she was named after the lion cub in the film. Her ability to play basketball could be evidence that there is more to a name than most people are willing to admit.

She has been practicing

Practice may not make us perfect since perfection is only idealism, but it will surely make you better, and Kiara knows that. Although the viral video shows her using her nose to help her partner and owner, Mathias Berntsen, play with the other team, the dog did not wake up one day knowing how to play basketball. In another video, she can be seen practicing her moves with the help of Mathias and Emilie Olimstad. Both Mathias and Emilie are volleyball professionals, as can be seen from their respective Instagram accounts, with Mathias Berntsen and his partner Hendrik going as far as being ranked 45th worldwide. In 2018 Mathias and Hendrik finished 17th in the European championships. With such experts training her, Kiara is only but honing her skills, and maybe one day, she will be in the Guinness book of records as the best basketball player in the animal kingdom.

She is now a social media celebrity

Life can be unfair sometimes imagine going through the struggle of writing lyrics to your song only to have someone do its cover and making it much better. Well, that is the story of songs like “I Will Always Love You” by Dolly Parton, but which Whitney Houston’s version was breathtaking. Likewise, Mathias has been on Instagram for over six years showing off his talents in volleyball through 142 posts. Still, he has only managed to acquire 7.8K followers. However, when Kiara’s Instagram was created six days ago, his first photo garnered over 3,400 likes, a number that Mathias has never had in any of his pictures. So far, Kiara’s account has only four posts, but the number of followers is growing by the minute, and currently, it stands at 20.6K.

Is she the only animal that can play sports?

While Kiara’s skills are impressive, there are other animals that have also shown they should get a spot on national teams, just like “Soccer Dog: The Movie.” In 2017, one lion named Triton could not be bothered to play with his other lion friends as long as he had a football to keep him company. The moment that a soccer ball was thrown into the enclosure that the 11-year-old big cat called home, his face would light up. He then chased it, not minding to follow it in the waters as revealed by a photo on Animal Channel.

In another case, Lou Ann Best’s late husband taught a squirrel to ski on their daughter’s toy boat. After her husband died by drowning trying to rescue his stepfather, Lou Ann thought it best to start training squirrels to water ski. She, therefore, adopted a Twiggy act to help children learn about water safety, but after 39 years, the squirrels were ready to retire. Since starting the act, Lou Ann had trained seven squirrels who showcased their water skiing abilities to different crowds. However, she was not ready to sell the business of the Twiggy act unless it was to someone who would still uphold the mission of raising awareness on water safety.

If you boast to your friends about how high your furry friend can jump as he welcomes you back home, there is a predecessor who even is in the Guinness Book of records. Cinderella May, popularly known as Soaring Cindy, went down in history as the first dog to ever jump to a height of 68 inches during the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge.

You can teach your dog to be as good as Kiara

Just like with children who are abled differently, animals too do not have the same abilities. However, if you feel that your little canine could be the next volleyball legend, you can start prepping him from home. Of course, besides having a great amount of patience, you will also need a large space, lots of treats, a deflated ball, and a net. According to Wag Walking, dogs with high energy and those that already know how to fetch are better suited to train than those who prefer to lie around your feet all day.

You can start by encouraging your dog to be excited about the ball and then throw it around so he can chase it. Once the enthusiasm is built up, throw the ball into the air and instruct him to get it so he can catch it midair. You can then teach him to bump the ball towards you and reward the hits with treats as you keep practicing. You should try to keep bumping the ball between the two of you for as long as possible without letting it hit the floor. When the skills are worthy of taking outside, set up a volleyball pitch and let him bump the ball over the net to you.