Jennifer Garner took to Instagram to share a heartwarming video of her dog Birdie completing a viral challenge on Thursday.
The 52-year-old actress delighted her followers with the clip of her furry friend nailing the ‘Hands In’ social media trend.
The challenge, reminiscent of a team gathering for a group cheer, involves pet owners bringing their hands together in front of their cats and dogs to see if they will join in.
The 13 Going on 30 star captioned the video, “Trying the ‘hands in’ challenge with Birdie,” as she and an offscreen male reached their hands out. To their delight, Birdie understood immediately, placing her paw in with perfect timing on the first try.
Jennifer, exuding joy and laughter, praised her golden retriever, saying, “Did you see, Birdie? Yeah, you did. I mean, first time.”
The actress looked casual yet chic in a gray T-shirt that read “Once Upon a Farm, Save the Children,” paired with light-washed jeans. Her brunette locks were swept into a messy bun, framing her face with a few loose strands, and she went barefaced, showcasing her natural beauty.
The adorable clip quickly garnered attention from Jennifer’s 16.2 million followers. She humorously captioned the post, “I had much less success with the puppy,” and fans flooded the comments with their admiration for Birdie’s talent.
One fan wrote, “She’s like…. Come on… I’ve been waiting,” while another joked, “My dog did it a bunch of times but when we started recording she refused.”
Birdie, who is a certified therapy dog, likely had an upper paw in the challenge, given her training to visit the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles.
“So she’s excited. She wants to have her first time at Children’s Hospital LA before she turns 9,” Jennifer shared in an interview with We Rate Dogs, adding, “She’s a very good dog, a very good girl.”
In addition to her impressive training, Birdie has a list of ambitious goals. Jennifer playfully revealed that some of Birdie’s dreams include visiting a Parisian bistro, swimming in the Olympics, skydiving, singing with the Metropolitan Opera, stopping her nail-biting habit, and going on a date with President Joe Biden’s dog, Major. “She has a big crush,” Jennifer confessed.
The Alias alum also reflected on the special bond between humans and their dogs. “Because they love us,” she explained.
“Because they’re kind. They show us kindness and loyalty and a lack of judgement.” She added, “I think that you love something in the act of caring for them, so because dogs need us to care for them, we form that bond in that way.”
Jennifer is frequently seen out on walks with her children and their beloved family dog, who recently turned nine years old. Despite her busy schedule, the actress always finds time to share sweet moments with Birdie, much to the delight of her fans.