A dog owner's hilarious take on her pet's unusual looks has left people in stitches this week.
Libby Clark lives just outside of Kansas City with her Great Dane, 10-month-old Rocco. With the signature breed's build and standout black-and-white splotched coat, Rocco is impossible to ignore. He has over 290,000 followers on TikTok and in a July 4 video, his owner joked: "Ever wonder what a cow mixed with a horse looks like?"
Panning from the floor to Rocco, the video has left people in stitches, and it was inspired by the comments people often make when they see the pup.
"People are always joking around calling him a horse or a cow, so I thought it would be funny to make a video poking fun at it," Clark told Newsweek.
Of course, Rocco isn't really half-cow and half-horse, not like the unusual breed pairings that have previously sparked viral attention. There was the pug and greyhound mix dubbed "unfortunate," and the throwback retro pug that sparked conversation about breeding.
In fact, Rocco is a purebred Great Dane. The breed was officially recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1887 and, today, ranks as the 19th most-popular breed in the U.S. Standing at around 32 inches tall at the shoulder, Great Danes tower over most dogs. Descended from mastiff-like breeds, they were bred in Germany to protect country estates and hunt wild boar.
With a focus on size and strength, the dogs, who have an average weight between 110 and 175 pounds, were primarily used for hunting. Over time, the Great Danes' temperament and appearance were honed.
Their name often creates misconceptions linking them to Danish culture, but they do not have roots in Denmark. Rather, the name is thought to come from 18th-century France where the breed were known as "Grand Danois," meaning "Great Danish dog," despite the fact the breed has no connection to that country.
Today, the breed is famed for their gentle-giant nature and make excellent family pets. Patient with children, they are known to make friends easily.
In comments on the fun video, people reacted to the joke and shared their thoughts.
"He is a cute mix," wrote one commenter, while another posted: "He's basically a miniature house cow but a cute one."
"We call our Danes horse ponies," added another dog owner.
Another viewer didn't quite catch the joke and wrote: "Not me actually thinking it's real and calling it a course."
"I started making videos of Rocco when he was 8 weeks old and really enjoyed it," said Clark. "It's been fun documenting Rocco as he grows. I never imagined he would have so many followers."
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
