Some Golden Retrievers retrieve balls. This little puppy apparently has much bigger ambitions: walking a horse.
In a video from Janesville, California, a Golden Retriever puppy decided that watching his owner work with horses was not enough. He wanted a job of his own.
The puppy was with equestrian trainer Natalie Nakanishi after she finished working with a client’s horse.
While Nakanishi was giving the horse a cool down, the puppy spotted the lead rope.
Then he grabbed it.
What happened next was almost too adorable to believe.
Instead of resisting his extremely inexperienced new handler, the horse calmly followed along.
The tiny Golden Retriever trotted forward with the rope firmly in his mouth, looking proud of himself.
The puppy was tiny beside the horse, yet carried himself like a ranch hand.
Nakanishi captured the moment on video, and viewers quickly fell in love with the unexpected partnership.
Viewers joked that while some dogs retrieve shoes or newspapers, this puppy retrieves horses, with another imagining the scene inspiring a future Budweiser Super Bowl commercial.
There is something wonderfully confident about a puppy grabbing a horse’s lead rope and marching ahead as though the arrangement makes perfect sense.
And somehow, the horse seemed willing to play along.
Rather than resisting, the horse simply walked behind him.
That made the puppy look even more convincing.
For a Golden Retriever, carrying objects is hardly unusual. The breed was developed as a sporting dog and bred to find and gently carry game.
Horses are powerful animals and can react quickly if frightened or startled.
Interactions between puppies and horses should always be carefully supervised. Puppies should also be taught not to chase, bark at, or dart around a horse’s legs.
Still, the puppy seemed delighted with his new responsibility.
He did not seem concerned about whether he was qualified.
He had the rope.
The horse was following.
As far as he was concerned, the job was going perfectly.
A German Shepherd was also nearby, seemingly watching the entire operation.
Perhaps the funniest part is how naturally the puppy seemed to accept his new role.
He did not ask for permission.
He did not wait for instructions.
He simply saw the lead rope, picked it up, and started walking.
And the horse followed.
He came along to watch the horses.
He left convinced he could lead one.
And for one wonderfully funny moment, the horse seemed perfectly happy to let him believe it.
Sometimes dogs do not need an actual job.
They just need the confidence to invent one.
