Ryker does not ‘want to’ be a service dog

This video has been circulating on social media the last couple of weeks.

It portrays a Belgian Malinois dog named Ryker, in interaction with a human.

The issue of service dogs for disabled persons is a topic where disability rights and animal rights can collide.
I hope to write my thoughts about this issue in one of the upcoming posts on Crip HumAnimal.

Whatever one’s standpoint on this issue, this is simply a lighthearted (humurous even) video, with no outspoken inclination towards any standpoint.

A point that can be noted here is the anthropomorphic attribution of intentions to Ryker, in stating that he ‘wants to be a service dog’.
But in fact, Ryker has no idea what the concept of a ‘service dog’ is. He had no idea he ‘enlisted’ in a training program.  And he has even less idea whether he does or does not want to a service dog. He simply seems to be enjoying the games. Seems, because it could just as well be that he is enormously frustrated by it all.

Video from YouTube MabeInAmerica.
No spoken text. Captions throughout video.

Image preview for blogpost: Belgian Malinois dog sitting upright on a high white cupboard. Caption text at bottom, green background, white letters: ‘Meet Ryker the Belgian Malinois’.