things were pretty slow in the mie prefecture...

until pluto the poodle came around



MATSUSAKA, Mie -- Following in the footsteps of a lesser panda at a Chiba zoo that can stand on two legs like a human, a poodle in Mie Prefecture is gaining popularity with its ability to stand up and walk for about 1 kilometer on its hind legs.

The dog, a 3-year-old male toy poodle named Pluto, is owned by Kimio Koyama, a 53-year-old resident of Matsusaka, Mie Prefecture. The canine appears to have no trouble walking on its hind legs.

On Wednesday morning, the dog left home with Koyama at about 8:30 a.m. After walking about 50 meters on four legs, Koyama called out and the dog quickly stood up on its hind legs and began walking.

The dog crossed its front paws in front of its chest and it trotted forward in short steps when it started to fall behind.

When another person approached the dog's owner and began talking, Pluto continued to stand on two legs and looked at the person as if he was participating in the conversation.