Folks at the San Diego Zoo recently shared a surprising friendship between a Golden Retriever and a cheetah.
A TikTok clip couldn’t be more adorable.
The zoo had paired the South African Cheetah with the dog after the cat had been abandoned by her mother. These two are inseparable and do everything together.
Goldens have traditionally been the breed of choice when paired up with solitary cheetahs. The two grow up together and formed a bond similar to a cheetah having his own litter mate.
Why the cheetah and dog connection?
Dogs can help cheetahs, which are very nervous and highly stressed animals, feel calm and secure. A golden retriever’s normally calm disposition helps a cheetah gain confidence, especially in the zoo environment. When raised as youngsters, the two can often be seen wrestling, sharing toys and cuddling together.
Dogs are also able to handle a cheetah’s play style, and help to mutually expend energy. In addition, cheetahs are a lot more social and are even known to help the cats with their socialization.
In the wild, dogs can help control hunting and trapping of cheetahs. The Cheetah Conservation Fund has provided Anatolian shepherd where the barks of the dogs scare off cheetahs from farm lands.
It’s just all so sweet.
i really want to visit the San Diego Zoo. i’ve seen videos of the cheetah being walked about the pulbic on a leash with their companion dog because of how mellow their pups makes them around others.
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(Photos via San Diego Zoo and screenshots via TikTok videos @ryan.slasher)
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This pup loves the rain.
