Golden Retriever's Playful Response to Home Intruder Goes Viral
Nash, a four-year-old golden retriever, was caught on camera attempting to play fetch with a burglar who entered his San Diego home.
A golden retriever named Nash has captured public attention for his unusual reaction to a home intruder: a desire to play. In a video recorded last month, the four-year-old dog was seen approaching a person who had broken into his San Diego residence, not with aggression, but with a toy in his mouth.
Security footage from inside the home showed the unidentified suspect entering the premises, making himself comfortable by taking a nap, and eating food from the refrigerator. Nash, however, did not bark or alert his owners. Instead, the dog attempted to engage the trespasser in a game three times, wagging his tail and presenting the toy.
Dante Rowley, Nash's owner, told the LA Times that his dog typically barks at new visitors but tends to view them as playmates once they are inside. Rowley and his fiancée, Stephanie Calderon, were alerted to the situation via a notification from their Ring camera while they were in transit on a flight from Chicago. Upon seeing the stranger in their home, they contacted the police.
"We just think he was trying to get out of the heat," Rowley commented on the suspect's actions, noting that the individual did not steal anything other than food.
When law enforcement arrived, including officers equipped with machine guns, Nash greeted them with the same friendly demeanor he displayed towards the intruder. The suspect was eventually apprehended in the backyard following an interaction with a police drone that prompted him to exit the house.
Nash's gentle approach has led some to jokingly dub him the "worst guard dog in the world," while others have praised his amiable nature. The San Diego Police Department has been contacted for comment.