This Surprising Dog And Duck Friendship Shows That Animals Pick Friends Not By Their Looks

Meet Barclay, the Golden Retriever and his best friend, a four-year-old Pekin duck Rudy, who both have a thing or two to teach you about friendship.

As great animal friendships go, this one had a rather bumpy start, when Barclay discovered just how tasty the stolen duck chow is. Rudy, being the alpha duck of his group, would chase Barclay away from it. But soon, the Retriever became such a frequent visitor in the coop that it was just a matter of time before these adorable animals clicked. As the owner, Pam Ishiguro explained to Daily Mail: “When they are together, somebody is always chasing or jumping on someone else, but when they are apart, they’re always calling for each other.”

By now, these unlikely friends have developed a healthy relationship, where everybody is getting something out of it. For example: “[Barclay] likes to drink their bath water and, if he happens to be stealthy enough, he loves to sniff a little duck butt.” And as for Rudy, he’s become a fan of dog climbing: “Now Rudy has to ‘claim’ Barclay every once in a while by climbing on top of him. Barclay doesn’t seem to mind terribly because that gives him the opportunity to sniff Rudy’s butt – win-win!”

Although not even a cute animal family is without its quirks, this one seems to solve their disputes with cuddling and to play together: “Rudy and Barclay need each other – I think that’s why they have such a strong bond, they’re like brothers from another mother. No one else will play with them, so lucky for them, they found each other and formed this unusual friendship.” (h/t)

Meet Rudy, the Pekin duck, and his best friend Barclay, the Golden Retriever

Image credits: Pam Ishiguro, Bancroft Images

As great friendships go, this one had a rather bumpy start, when Barclay discovered just how tasty the stolen duck chow is

Image credits: Pam Ishiguro, Bancroft Images

Rudy, being the alpha duck of his group, would chase Barclay away

Image credits: Pam Ishiguro, Bancroft Images

But soon the Retriever became such a frequent visitor in the coop that it was just a matter of time before these guys clicked

Image credits: Pam Ishiguro, Bancroft Images

Now they have developed a healthy relationship, where everybody is getting something out of it

Image credits: Pam Ishiguro, Bancroft Images

“[Barclay] likes to drink their bath water and, if he happens to be stealthy enough, he loves to sniff a little duck butt”

Image credits: Pam Ishiguro, Bancroft Images

“Now Rudy has to ‘claim’ Barclay every once in a while by climbing on top of him. Barclay doesn’t seem to mind terribly because that gives him the opportunity to sniff Rudy’s butt – win-win!”

Image credits: Pam Ishiguro, Bancroft Images

“When they are together, somebody is always chasing or jumping on someone else, but when they are apart, they’re always calling for each other”

Image credits: Pam Ishiguro, Bancroft Images

Although no family is without its quirks, this one seems to solve their disputes with cuddling and playing together

Image credits: Pam Ishiguro, Bancroft Images

“Rudy and Barclay need each other – I think that’s why they have such a strong bond, they’re like the oddballs on the playground”

Image credits: Pam Ishiguro, Bancroft Images

“No one else will play with them, so lucky for them, they found each other”

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