A mom juggling a stroller and her two giant dogs found an unexpected solution to all get out of the apartment building.
The building, Elizabeth Vanderbrouk told Newsweek, is small and quiet, home to just six families. She was heading down to the garage with her baby daughter and the dogs when she realized the logistics weren’t going to work.
Vanderbrouk (@carlthemountaindog) shared a reel on Instagram, capturing her dilemma. In the tiny elevator of her apartment building in Switzerland, her Bernese mountain dog, Carl, and her 130-pound Newfoundland, Steve, took up all the space.
“I panicked at first but then realized I can only try this and if it doesn’t work, then I’ll figure something else out,” Vanderbrouk said.
After thinking of what to do, Vanderbrouk has a light bulb moment and sends the dogs down alone.
The idea wasn’t entirely random. Carl had once accidentally taken the elevator alone during move-in and calmly stayed inside as it traveled a floor up and back down. Steve, meanwhile, is Carl’s shadow.
Vanderbrouk said she figured if one dog could handle it—and the other followed him everywhere—it was worth the attempt.
She pressed the button and watched the doors close. Once she heard that they had got out, Vanderbrouk rode the elevator down with the stroller.
When she reached the bottom moments later with the stroller, Carl and Steve were already there, standing patiently and waiting for them.
“I wasn’t worried at all,” Vanderbrouk said. “Either Steve would get off by himself and Carl would stay, or they would both get off. Either way, it was only one short floor down, and I knew they couldn’t go anywhere from there.”
Vanderbrouk’s reaction was calm admiration rather than shock. She had never taught them how to do it, but Steve’s intelligence made the outcome feel almost predictable.
After that, the day continued as normal. The group walked to the garage, got into the car, and carried on.
Vanderbrouk’s reel has gone viral on Instagram, clocking up millions of likes and views.
In the comments, users were impressed with the dogs’ training.
“That’s amazing!! Good boys,” one user wrote.
“Imagine seeing this when the elevator doors open. I would totally want to squeeze in!” another added.
On the other hand, some users called it irresponsible for the decision to let her dogs ride in the elevator.
One shared that they tried the very same tactic, but it didn’t quite go to plan. “She didn’t get out of the elevator and was confused as hell when it came back up,” they said.
“I wish I could do this, but I have huskies. I would never see them again,” another user posted.