A foster dog learning to roll in the grass like a free spirit by watching the other dogs is just priceless

A foster dog named Honey rolled onto her back in the grass for the first time. As shown in a video posted by @mypawsrescue on Instagram, she had spent the previous 28 days watching another dog named Ellie do the same thing each day, without ever joining in. The moment was captured in a backyard where Ellie, a black and white dog, begins her usual routine — rolling on her back with her legs in the air. Honey stays a few feet away, lying still and facing her. In the overlay, the caretaker explains, "Our scared foster dog has watched Ellie roll every day. And on Day 29, she tried it too."

Honey lowers herself to the ground, hesitant at first. Then, after a brief pause, she rolls, once, then again, almost as if she’s "testing it out" to see if it feels safe. The caption posted with the video explains, "It’s these little moments that give me faith that Honey can and will be okay. She has never done anything like this, and you can see she's a little unsure of herself when she pops back up." According to the user, Honey tends to learn by watching the other dogs and copying them.

"Honey is very visual, and this is the second time she's watched my dog(s) do something and copied them. (The first was coming to me and sitting for treats!) And my heart dog Ellie... you are the best foster sister ever," the caption reads. Later in the video, another dog named Flynn approaches. As Honey continues rolling, Flynn drops to the ground and starts rolling too. Honey's progress moves the caretaker to tears. "So proud of you, Honey!" she says.

Moments like this show how a warm and welcoming foster setting can help an animal adapt to it more easily. In fact, a 2023 study evaluating dogs placed in foster homes for just one week found significant improvements in 17 out of 21 behavioral traits, including increased friendliness, confidence, and playfulness. Dogs showed less anxious behavior compared to those kept in shelters, highlighting how even short-term home environments can accelerate emotional adjustment. They were more relaxed, more confident, more playful, and less likely to pace or display anxious behaviors. These effects were most prominent in dogs classified as fearful or shut down in the shelter. Researchers noted that the presence of other social dogs in foster homes helped reinforce these gains, especially in dogs that tended to observe and mimic their companions.

Viewers were touched by Honey’s progress and shared their heartfelt reactions in the comments. u/cheddoar commented, "'Wait...?? Like this??? No... but almost... like...? Wait wait....OHHHHHH THAAAATS NICE.' The way they got more comfortable with every try, and then it clicked." u/triple_floof wrote, "The feeling of safety clicking. Sweetie wouldn't be doing that if she were still super fearful. A testament to you all for your work." u/jango_rusty_n_daaaad shared, "It’s supposed to have healing powers for pups rolling in grass apparently…makes sense looking how happy they are doing it. My old rescue staffie loved it too." u/niquemarieloves added, "My heart dog Ellie recently passed, and seeing dogs live in joy just brings me so much peace. Thanks for this."

You can follow mypawsrescue (@mypawsrescue) on Instagram for more foster dog content.