Haley Deecken, from New York, shares her life with Duncan, 10, and Splash, 2, who’ve become internet stars thanks to their clever card game skills.
Using their limited colour vision, Deecken trained the dogs to match Uno cards by hue, starting with blue and yellow, the colours dogs see most clearly.
Matching colours
After mastering those, Duncan and Splash tackled red and green cards, which are trickier for dogs to distinguish. With short, reward-based sessions, the dogs gradually learned to pick the correct card from multiple options.
“They know it’s a game about matching shades,” says Deecken. “That’s the big picture for them.”
The TikToks have captivated over 2.6 million followers, showing the pups eagerly playing alongside their owner. Both dogs are no strangers to the spotlight, having appeared in commercials and films.
Talented duo
Duncan can also play Tic-Tac-toe, while Splash has a viral trick involving fake wallet thefts.
Deecken now hopes to teach them number recognition. “It’s about having fun and learning together,” she says. “They love it — and so do I.”
What clever dogs! Well done, Duncan and Splash!
