Already have an account?
Get back to the
Animals

Meet the Bowling Goldendoodle Brothers — They’re Right Up Our Alley

Tags:

Dogs, like humans, come in a variety of athletic abilities. Some dogs will do impressive tricks for treats, some will maybe obey a “roll over” command on the occasion, and some dogs just don’t want to be bothered to perform stunts for their owners’ delight. And then we have dogs like Blake, a 10-month-old goldendoodle, is showing off his puppy prowess with his impressive bowling skills.

His coach — yes, his bowling coach — Katelyn “KT” Simpson says Blake began bowling at the tender age of 12 weeks old. “I think his high game is, like, a [100],” Simpson told KBOI. “He gets strikes every once in awhile; [he’s a] pretty good spare shooter.”

Kate’s parents, Terri and Wayne Simpson, own KT’s Lanes, a bowling alley in Emmett, Idaho where Blake practices his skills. Because Blake has paws, he’s (obviously) not able to hold a ball, so a ramp is put up in front of a bowling lane, and he stands on his hind legs to push the ball toward the pins. Often, he’s rewarded with a treat and a high-five. KT told KBOI that the first time he bowled, Blake “loved it.”

If you’re wondering how KT was able to teach Blake how to bowl while you might still be struggling to teach your own dog how to sit, she says it did take some training — but not as much as you’d think. “We just put the ball on top of the ramp and we held a treat above the ball,” KT told KBOI. “We’re like, come on, you know, kind of helped him, showed him a couple times, [and he] just pushed the ball with his arms. He caught on and just started doing it on his own.”

By the looks of his videos, it seems like Blake caught on pretty quickly. Although much of Blake’s athleticism can be attributed to hard work and natural talent, his coach is an accomplished bowler herself. KT earned a spot on the junior national bowling team in 2015 and was a member of the University of Pikeville bowling team where she was an all-American and scored nine perfect games. KT’s accomplishments must be starting to rub off on the pooch, because on Wednesday, January 17, bowling website Storm announced) Blake would be joining their team. “We’ve had our eye on Blake for some time,” the Storm article reads. “At just [10] months old, Blake has captured the attention of fans around the world with his passion for the lanes.”

Blake will attend one of Storm’s youth championships in Reno, Nevada, from March 23 to 25. Terri says he will be there “to help encourage and cheer on junior bowlers from all over the country.” She says Blake also recently signed with Logo Infusion, a bowling jersey company. “They are currently designing some Blake-themed jerseys,” she says.

And as if Blake isn’t adorable enough, he has a little brother who also bowls! Adam, a four-month-old goldendoodle, is just starting to learn the game. Terri says his high score is a 68. She says the pups are named after The Voice judges Blake Shelton and Adam Levine. How cute!

Although Blake’s athletic talents are impressive (and adorable), his owners plan for him to do more than just bowl someday. According to Storm, the Simpsons hope to enroll him in therapy dog training “to make more people smile.” *Now, that’s a good boy!

More from Woman’s World

How a Guide Dog Changed My Life

Man Babysitting ‘Grand-Dog’ Is Hilariously Sweet

New Dog Optical Illusion Has Officially Stumped the Internet

Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items. Use right arrow key to move into submenus. Use escape to exit the menu. Use up and down arrow keys to explore. Use left arrow key to move back to the parent list.