Move over Lassie, Toto and Eddie, because there is a new dog in town to take the crown for best canine actor.


Excitable puppy Rosie tries repeatedly to engage her playmate in some rough-and-tumble until her friend responds with a nip to the neck.

With a dive that would have made Tom Daley proud, the young dog dramatically falls to the ground and plays dead with Oscar-worthy conviction.

The video of Rosie's performance has become a viral hit, being watched by hundreds of thousands of people.

The dog's acting is so convincing, some viewers have suggested that it may be an instance of canine narcolepsy, a rare but generally harmless condition which causes the animal to faint in response to high adrenaline.