Golden Retriever Meets A Deer On A Walk And His Reaction Is Hilariously Unexpected
When seeing a deer during a walk, most dogs would try to chase it or get closer. After all, any sudden movements from a wild animal could trigger their instinctive prey drive. Even without motion, many dogs would still want to approach it, driven by curiosity. But when a golden retriever named Duke saw a deer during his evening stroll, his reaction mirrored neither of these. Instead, he planted his behind on the grass and watched, and his human posted the comical moment on TikTok in September 2025.
@thegoldenpupduke Duke is not very aware of his surroundings #goldenretrieverlife #dogsoftiktok #fyp #goldenretriever #foryoupage
In the clip, we see what appears to be a white-tailed fawn on a rural road. The deer seems to have no fear of the person or fluffy golden retriever nearby. Moments later, the camera pans to Duke seated on the grass, looking in the other direction. "The deer's over here," his mother says. He immediately stands up and turns around, but after his mom warns him not to scare the deer, he hesitates for a moment, starts whining, and sits back down.
Only a few feet separate the two animals at this point, and Duke just stares in awe. They lock eyes a few times, but then the deer continues walking in front of him, still fearless. The way deer see the world is beyond wild, and it's possible that Duke was the first dog the deer had ever seen. Or maybe it just didn't feel threatened. Either way, this peaceful encounter begs the question: Can dogs and deer ever be friends?
Can dogs and deer be friends?
Although canine-cervine friendships are rare, they do exist. For example, in Indiana, a family dog and a wild doe were captured playing through a chain‑link fence. Both animals matched each other's motions, like they were long‑time pals (via WBRZ). In another video, this one from South Carolina, a terrier named Jane raced and frolicked with a deer in a meadow. "There was zero aggression or conflict," the owner said, and the two animals "played like they knew each other" (via FOX Carolina).
But perhaps one of the most touching documented friendships, shared on TikTok in July 2024, involved a black rescue dog and a fawn in Florida. In the clip, the deer, named Ellie, nuzzled and relaxed beside the dog. Their bond was so consistent that the deer began greeting other animals on the farm as if part of the same pack. While such interspecies bonds aren't the norm, they show that under calm circumstances, animals can sometimes rise above instinctual boundaries. Still, these cases are exceptions, not guarantees. Always supervise any interaction between your dog and a wild animal. Deer can act defensively during mating or birthing seasons, but this clearly was not the case with Duke and the deer he encountered. If they saw each other again, it's possible that a friendship could blossom.
Interested in more stories like these? Check out these 16 interspecies friendships that are too pure for this timeline or the cutest pet friendships of all time that made us cry from joy.