Dogs often form cross-species friendships with cats, rabbits and even chickens, but this pup has a special one: he loves turtles. Maia, a Pyrenean Mountain Dog from Sharpsburg, Georgia, is so fond of the small reptiles that she often "kidnaps" them and brings them home.
Maia’s owner, 19-year-old Rachel Laboska, recently shot a set of videos and uploaded them to social media. People were deeply attracted by Maia’s gentle nature. The six-year-old white dog, holding a turtle in its mouth, was waiting at the back door for its owner to open the door.
It was unwilling to let go of the little animal and lay on the floor with its cheeks full. After Rachel's repeated persuasion, Maia put the turtle on the ground and looked at it carefully. Rachel says this isn't the first time White Dog has kidnapped a turtle and taken it home.
Rachel explained: "It was recently discovered that Maia can catch turtles, and he has caught them twice. He is a Pyrenean mountain dog, a breed specially used for herding and protecting livestock on farms. It is possible that he saw the little turtle and decided to protect it, or maybe he just wanted a friend."
This video captured the hearts of thousands of netizens and received 1.4 million views. Netizens joked that Maia has a "stubborn nature", but it would be disappointing to have such a friend. And it seems Maia isn't the only pup with a fascination with reptiles, with many pooches sharing similar preferences.
It's nice to know my dog isn't the only one who does this. My dog lets us chase him to save the turtles," one person commented. "That's what my pit bull does. It never hurts them, it's just obsessed with where they live. explained another. Many animal lovers warned Maia to be careful when adopting wild animals, with one saying: "If it gets its tongue bitten, it will learn its lesson." "
Another American Bulldog, Winston, loves to play and hang out with Mike the Chipmunk, always feeding him breakfast. They have developed an unusual friendship and don't let anyone join their group.
Owner Gary Townsend from Ontario, Canada, said: "Winston always wants to go out for coffee with me every morning and feed the chipmunks, so we do that almost every day, and we do it non-stop throughout the day.