Great Pyrenees Carries Out 'Full On Investigation' To Reunite With Dad At The Airport
Like many animals, dogs have an exceptional sense of smell. Some can track odors from as far as 12 miles away, and even without seeing, they can identify their people by scent alone. Their scent memory can last for hours, days, or even weeks, but can it stretch into months? A Great Pyrenees named Ritchie helped answer that question. The same Great Pyrenees that walks to CVS every day and puts a smile on people's faces, this gentle giant reunited with one of his owners after three months apart. The heartwarming moment landed on TikTok in November 2025.
@ritchiethepyr He did a full on investigation to find dad 😆 #ritchiethepyr
The video opens at an airport baggage claim, where Ritchie's dad, Vinny, waits patiently for his fluffy sidekick. The Pyr approaches him but shows no recognition. Even a sniff of a neck pillow carrying his dad's scent doesn't seem to jog his memory. Determined to find his human, Ritchie waddles off to investigate two other men, giving each a hopeful "Are you my daddy?" sniff. Then comes a familiar whistle. Instantly, the lightbulb turns on, and Ritchie does a 180 and bounds straight toward Vinny's open arms.
The clip racked up more than 2 million likes and over 3,500 comments. One viewer joked, "I think he knew all along and was tricking dad." Another lovingly described the pup as "the cutest freaking polar bear." Many pointed out the sheer delight on Ritchie's face when he finally found his dad.
Turns out, Ritchie and his dad have had several airport reunions
Unlike other reunion videos tied to military service or lost pets, this one has a different origin story. A TikTok from September 2025 explains that Ritchie was adopted at just one month old by a woman who raised him with her boyfriend. He joined them for beach days and other adventures, and he even got to enjoy his very own birthday parties. But five years after his adoption, the couple separated. His mom, Laura, moved from California to Florida and brought the big softie with her.
Despite all of her efforts to give him a good life in a new home, Ritchie struggled with the change, so the former couple arranged for a rendezvous, with hopes of lifting his spirits. Laura booked a flight with Ritchie and flew to meet Vinny in California. Although the boys hadn't seen each other in a year, Ritchie recognized Vinny at the airport from much farther away than the clip above, without using his sense of smell at all. When the former couple witnessed Ritchie's joy, they decided to share custody from two states, so now all the reunions take place at airports.
To accommodate Ritchie's size and prevent disturbing other passengers, Laura books an entire row of the airplane when she flies with him. Ritchie will celebrate his 9th birthday in February, so social media fans can look forward to another airport reunion then. We can't wait! Interested in more stories about this giant breed? Check out this Great Pyrenees puppy experiencing snow for the first time or this "dramatic" Pyrenees puppy faking a paw injury.