Brave Golden Retriever Finally Conquers Her Fear of the Balcony Like a Brave Little Soul

Far be it from me to understand the different (and seemingly random) things that my pets are afraid of. Sure, there are the typical fears, like the vet or the vacuum cleaner, but many dogs are freaked out by things that are far less typical, like certain. household objects or places that have always been perfectly happy for them. For example, my dog is afraid of bicycles... even though all of her exposure to bikes has been when she's out on a walk, her favorite thing to do. I'll never get it, but I am happy to comfort her and shield her from bikes when I see them coming up ahead.

Even brave dogs can have somewhat irrational fears... and eventually, some of them even manage to sum up the courage they need to conquer them. Case in point: the sweet Golden Retriever in this TikTok video who really showed the balcony who's boss.

On Sunday, September 22, @zoey.the.golden8 shared what happened when Zoey, a Golden Retriever , decided to get over her fear of the balcony in a moment of sheer courage.

"Zoey is afraid of very normal things. She has been terrified of my balcony," Zoey's human wrote. "Today I decided to work on getting her out here."

At first, it's easy to see that Zoey is freaked out — her dad is outside on the balcony, calling her to come out, and she's very hesitant. So hesitant, in fact, that she even turned back and went inside.

But with a bit of patience from her dad and a bit of courage from Zoey herself, she did eventually make it out there... and once she did, it looked like she actually may have liked it out there! Or at least realized that it wasn't as scary as she thought that it would be.

Maintaining a Dog-Friendly Balcony

If your pup isn't like Zoey and loves hanging out on the balcony, it's important to remember to take a few safety precautions to make sure it's dog friendly.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) recommends that you prioritize railing safety first and foremost, making sure that they cannot slip through the railings and finding a way to prevent that from happening (like installing plexiglass).

You will also want to make sure that your dog is not able to jump over your balcony and fall or escape that way. High jumping dogs might be better off staying inside, and you can prevent other dogs from getting away by not leaving out furniture they could use to jump from a higher point.

It can also help to make them a comfy, shaded area where they can relax if you plan to spend a lot of time out there, and of course, make sure they're supervised during your outside time.

Hopefully, Zoey can now start enjoying plenty of balcony time herself!