---
title: "Real Dogs’ Reaction to Robodogs is Terrifying"
description: "The internet is flooded with videos of robot dogs meeting real, furry puppies, who seem horrified to have come across a canine abomination."
date: "2024-11-21"
modified: "2024-11-21"
authors:
  - name: "Ashley Bardhan"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/abardhan"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/real-dogs-meet-robodogs"
categories:
  - "Future Society"
tags:
  - "elon musk"
  - "robotics"
  - "robots"
  - "the digest"
---

# Real Dogs’ Reaction to Robodogs is Terrifying

![The internet is flooded with videos of robot dogs meeting real, furry puppies, who seem horrified to have come across a canine abomination.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/real-dogs-meet-robodogs.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: @theXofficially via X / Futurism\</em\>*

## Dog Days

The internet is flooded with videos of AI-powered robot dogs meeting real furry puppies, who often seem horrified to have come across what they seem to perceive as a canine abomination.

In one clip [recently posted](<https://x.com/thexofficially/status/1859573498131173770>) to X-formerly-Twitter, a large unlucky dog encounters what seems to be Unitree's [Go2 robot](<https://www.unitree.com/go2>). It walks around using LiDAR, and it can flip, stretch, and roll partly thanks to AI-fueled simulation training. Adding up all this technology, we get a creature that looks like a tin can, but moves with a natural spontaneity.

But the big dog wasn't impressed by science. It began barking at Go2, which made a freakish pounce in reply, causing the real hound to skitter backwards.

This tense interaction is pretty much replicated in [every](<https://www.tiktok.com/@frenchbulldog.l.ove/video/7322308399524220203>) [viral](<https://www.tiktok.com/@cheddar/video/7421338652611038507>) [robodog](<https://www.tiktok.com/@flogrown321/video/7201891585364118826>) clip online — real dogs growl, bark, and lunge at their impersonator while their human companions film on their phones and smile. Animals don't find the whole robot thing amusing at all — though it's possible that soon, they won't have a choice.

https://twitter.com/thexofficially/status/1859573498131173770

## Robots' Ark

Robotics researchers often try to imitate wildlife for all kinds of human purposes, like more effortlessly [exploring the seafloor](<https://newatlas.com/robotics/evologics-quadroin-penguin-inspired-auv/>) or [flying things](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/tiny-solar-powered-wings-faster-buttefly>) up into the air.

In recent years, robot technology has improved enough from the early days of Boston Dynamics' [chunky robodog Spot](<https://futurism.com/googles-robo-dog-spot-starts-training-us-marines>) to make things like Unitree's Go2 more ubiquitous (though this particular critter's viral videos seem more like guerilla advertising.)

You can now find robot dogs being forced to do things like [run marathons](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/robodog-runs-full-marathon>), [perpetuate war](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/army-robot-dogs-guns-middle-east>), and [defend Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/robot-dog-spotted-guarding-mar-a-lago>) from potential assassins, which are generally more depressing activities than playing fetch.

But if fanboy and investor clamoring for Tesla's [humanoid bot Optimus](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/tesla-robots-remotely-controlled-analyst>) is any indication, it seems likely that people will continue their attempts to subjugate nature in this way for their own benefit. Just don't expect any chihuahuas to take it lightly.

**More on robots:** [*Amazon Robots Struggling to Keep Up With Human Workers*](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/amazon-warehouse-robots-struggle>)