A New Twist on Digitally Dependent LOL

Marp · ‎03-09-2010

When a boy's parents told him that he was responsible for training his new puppy, what they didn't expect was just how smart their iPad-toting son was.

Lincoln Ball, 4, was given a puppy after his doctor discovered he was severely allergic to outdoor allergens, his father Daniel Ball told ABC News.

"The allergy doctor said half-jokingly, 'Well there's good news and bad news. The bad news is you're allergic to everything outside. The good news is you're not allergic to pets. You could get a puppy,'" he said.

Ball, 35, said the only thing his son, the youngest of four children with wife Tasha, heard was that he could get a puppy and so the family got a Saint Bernard puppy.

Ball said that he and his wife, who live in Chickamauga, Georgia, have never had a dog throughout their 15-year marriage. He told his son that it was "his responsibility to learn how to train the dog," so he suggested looking up YouTube tutorials.

"He got the video all lined up," Ball recalled, "and then he called the dog over and started playing it directly to the dog."

Lincoln's mother Tasha thought it was genius, so she snapped a picture. What the couple didn't expect was that when Lincoln's uncle posted it to Facebook that it would go viral, with more than 17,000 comments and more than 177,000 shares.

Still, Ball said his son is excited about the attention.

"We've told him. He's 4, so I don't know if he really understands. But he was telling someone who came over to the house, 'My puppy is famous,'" Ball said.

.Boy Makes Puppy Watch YouTube Tutorials Instead of Training Him in Adorable Viral Photo (ABC News)

https://gma.yahoo.com/boy-makes-puppy-watch-youtube-tutorials-instead-training-161103940--abc-news-p...

The eyes through which you see others may be the same as how they see you.

Preds · ‎12-17-2012

And puppy is paying attention. LOL That is the cutest thing. Thanks for sharing @Marp.

Fate whispers to her, "You cannot withstand the storm." She whispers back, "I am the storm."

Melania · ‎06-12-2013

That is adorable! I bet the puppy will be trained in to time too. They are very smart and would get on the IPad themselves if they had thumbs. LOL

ValuSkr · ‎03-15-2014

Very cute. I wonder how long before Lincoln's pup is too big to live in the house. Aren't St. Bernards huge?

RainyDayGal · ‎03-09-2010

@ValuSkr wrote:
Very cute. I wonder how long before Lincoln's pup is too big to live in the house. Aren't St. Bernards huge?

Never! Why would the dog be living outdoors, regardless of size. It's not like it's a horse.

deepwaterdotter · ‎03-09-2010

Imagine the bond that could be formed by personally training the puppy through positive reinforcement (treats) and physical affection.

ValuSkr · ‎03-15-2014

@RedConvertibleGirl wrote:
@ValuSkr wrote:
Very cute. I wonder how long before Lincoln's pup is too big to live in the house. Aren't St. Bernards huge?

Never! Why would the dog be living outdoors, regardless of size. It's not like it's a horse.

I guess I should have phrased it differently. I can't imagine adopting such a big dog and making it house-bound. Maybe Lincoln has a fenced-in yard where the dog can play, even if Lincoln himself cannot because of his allergies.

GingerPeach · ‎03-12-2010

I'm not sure that allergy doctor thought this through.

Dogs of any size ought to be able to go outside sometimes. And dogs in general shouldn't be subjected to as many frequent baths as a dog that lives with someone who is this allergic.

I also have to wonder what these parents are thinking. They've had NO dogs, and they also expect a four-year-old to train a puppy? Surely they can't be serious.

[was Homegirl] Love to be home . . . thus the screen name. Joined 2003.

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

Homegirl wrote:
I'm not sure that allergy doctor thought this through.

Dogs of any size ought to be able to go outside sometimes. And dogs in general shouldn't be subjected to as many frequent baths as a dog that lives with someone who is this allergic.

I also have to wonder what these parents are thinking. They've had NO dogs, and they also expect a four-year-old to train a puppy? Surely they can't be serious.

While the picture is cute and all that, these were ALL the things I was thinking.

As soon as puppy goes outside, s/he brings in all the allergens.

A 4-year old is WAY too young to train a puppy and to get one who is going to outsize the child before too long might have also not been the best idea.