Ashleigh Hertzig, Yuri’s owner, is filled with laughter after watching a throwback video that shows the “cheeky side” of Yuri.
Ashleigh Herzzig, a New Yorker shared a moving video to Instagram recently, recalling Yuri’s playful moments. Yuri died in December after living with her mom for the last 12 years.
The clip is captioned “Thinking of the time when my guide dog used my blindness to sneak this peanut butter jar onto our walk”, and shows Yuri walking along, a peanut butter jar almost empty in his mouth.
@tailsofaguidedog/Instagram
Yuri was known for his love of “finding” unexpected things. Hertzig recalled a moment when Yuri obtained an entire loaf of baguette at Central Park, from a generous stranger. “Someone walking by was like, ‘Hey, do you know your dog has an entire baguette in its mouth?’ Hertzig laughed as she recalled Yuri’s cleverness. Another memorable incident was when Yuri grabbed a pet toy in the Rite Aid’s aisle, which led to a purchase that wasn’t planned.
Hertzig is now navigating life with Mira her guide dog. She has noticed a distinct difference between the two dogs’ personalities. “Mira’s motto is ‘work hard, play harder,’ whereas Yuri’s was ‘work hard then take a nap,'” she explained. This contrast highlights the special bond that she had with Yuri.
Over three million Instagram users have watched the video. Hertzig finds comfort in the video despite her loss. Friends and family sent her videos and pictures of the dog, as well as stories about him.
“My friends, family, and I all know how much Yuri is missing me and randomly send me photos, videos, and memories,” she explained. Someone mentioned the incident with the peanut butter jar, so I searched for the video. “It made me smile and I thought that the world was in need of a bit of serotonin right now.”
The clip has been a source of amusement for many commenters on the internet. One person echoed that sentiment saying: “That’s his emotional support Peanut Butter Jar.”
Hertzig has been touched by the overwhelming love that people have shown for Yuri, and how he brings happiness to so many others. Ashleigh added, “It’s warm to my heart to know that Yuri is still bringing joy to all the people who have seen it despite his passing.” Yuri’s legacy will continue to live as a kind friend, bringing joy and support.