A DYNAMIC duck which can perform amazing tricks including playing the piano while quacking is set to make it into the Guinness World Records.
The fabulous fowl called Echo can play football with her beak, ring a bell and jump through her owner’s arms on command.
The feathered-phenomenon can also spin around in one direction and jump through a hoop when asked.
In total Echo - a Khaki Campbell duck - can perform an astonishing 30 tricks guided by owner Joe Nutkins, 42, who is a qualified dog trainer based in Ardleigh.
Trainer - Joe Nutkins with her super duck, Echo
Echo is now waiting to be officially crowned the world’s most talented duck by Guinness World Record officials after performing 11 tricks in just one minute.
Echo, who was hatched in an incubator at Joe’s home, learnt her tricks alongside Norwich terriers Ripley, three, and Merlin, ten.
Echo was never intended to be a house duck but once Joe saw how much she enjoyed doing tricks she decided to train her up.
Joe, who’s been a dog trainer for 16 years, said that teaching ducks is not too different to canines although she has to account for Echo’s regular bathroom breaks.
Friends - Ripley and Merlin, the Norwich terriers, with Echo
Joe said: “It’s not necessarily harder to train a duck. You just need to adapt to her.
“For example, when she rings the bell she uses her beak, whereas dogs use their paw.
“If you’ve never trained an animal before then teaching a duck a trick might be difficult.
“I keep the sessions short for Echo. Ducks poo a huge amount so if she’s training in the house then after about ten minutes she will need to go to the loo.
Tune - Echo playing the piano as one of her many tricks
“So I let her outside to make sure it’s not too messy when we train.”
Echo moved seamlessly from trick to trick during her world record bid, quacking along the way and being rewarded with treats - of which her favourite are blueberries, sweetcorn and peas.
Joe said: “Echo is the first official trick duck, she loves it.
“She played the piano, rang a bell, jumper through my arms - just normal stuff you see ducks do day in, day out.”
Joe, who lives with husband Jon, 42, a PCSO, said: “Echo loves doing all the training and she’s always got the option not to do it.
“She’ll wedge herself between the dogs if I get some food out for them.
“If I put a football out for the dogs Echo will start pushing it with her beak. Everything we do in this house is completely bonkers.”
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