KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 — The Japanese man who spent ¥2 million (RM64,764) on a Rough Collie costume to fulfil his dream of becoming a dog has ventured out in public for the first time and befriended other real dogs.

A video of the canine cosplayer, who identifies himself as Toco, had been uploaded on his YouTube channel I Want To Be An Animal showing him getting sniffed by other dogs in a park and rolling around on the floor.

According to Toco, the video was taken during an interview with a German TV station last year but he only received permission to use the video on his channel recently.

"So I am releasing them to the public!” he wrote of the five-minute clip.

Judging from the reactions of passers-by and dogs befriended by Toco in the video, his antics are seemingly well-received.

During a stop, curious onlookers also took the opportunity to snap pictures of Toco.

He added there are more videos of the interview and he would share it in the future.

Toco previously said he had wanted to be an animal all his life and he chose Collie as it was his favourite breed.

It was reported that Toco paid Zeppet, a company that makes costumes for TV commercials and films, to make the Collie costume and it took them 40 days and multiple revisions to create.