A Japanese man named Toco, went viral on social media as he transformed himself into a canine after shelling out more than $14,000 (Rs 12 lakh) for a custom-made collie costume. Now, a video of Toco meeting a real dog has gained popularity on the internet. In the clip, the real dog is seen barking after looking at Toco. A few seconds later, Toco is seen bending and coming towards the dog, seeming to extend a hand of friendship. However, the dog is not amused and continues to bark. The dog then takes a few steps back, barks while looking at Toco and removes itself from the scene.
"Dog's reaction to seeing a realistic dog costume," reads the caption of the video.
Recently, Toco posted a series of images on Instagram that show him unsuccessfully taking on the Crufts-style agility course. His latest adventure shows the man dressed in Collie costume trying to leap over a set of hurdles in a garden. The photos show him failing at jumps and bumping into a hurdle pole. He wrote in the caption of the post, "When you become a dog, you want to try agility, don't you?" The reactions from Instagram users were mixed. While some of them appreciated Toto for trying his best, others slammed him.
Meanwhile, in August this year, the Japanese man stated that people are "misinformed" that he wants to live like a dog, as per a report in the New York Post. Discussing the costume, Toco stated that he wears the costume "maybe once a week, mostly at home". He said, "My desire to be an animal is like a desire to transform...a desire to be something that I am not." It is to be noted that the creators took 40 days to make the unusual garment but it has helped the man realise his dream of "becoming an animal."
The man has chronicled his entire journey on his YouTube channel. Although he has not revealed his identity yet in public, however, he admitted he always "had a vague dream of becoming an animal" ever since he was a child.
On his decision to become a collie, Toco had previously said, "I made it a collie because it looks real when I put it on my taste and costume. My favourite is quadrupedal animals, especially cute ones. Among them, I thought that a big animal close to me would be good, considering that it would be a realistic model, so I decided to make it a dog. Long-haired dogs can mislead the human figure. I met such a condition and made Collie, my favourite breed of dog."
