Golden retriever and newborn fawn playing together

By: Will Goodman
Topics: Animal Antics

(CBS News) We have definitely seen our fair share of seemingly unlike animals finding wonderful connections here on The Feed. And you know what? I can't get enough of them, so here's another. Check out a golden retriever and newborn fawn playing and get ready to say "awwww".

The endearing video was posted by YouTube user Susan4889 who writes:

This is Dickens whose motto is "I'd rather play than obey"! After trying futilely to get him to come to me, and seeing he meant the fawn no harm, I went in for my camera. I was letting him out in the lower back fenced area and was going to groom him, hence the "ugly dog" comment. He's blowing coat. Golden people get this! Anyhow, the rest is history and he's now giving "pawtographs"! Taken at our Ranch in Delhi Hills, Ohio.

It's clear that Dickens means the newborn no harm, so I feel comfortable in the knowledge that "no animals were hurt during the filming of this video". And a part of me hopes they maintained this unlikely friendship over the years. Yes, I know, it's unlikely. But one can hope, right? Thank you so much for sharing this very sweet moment with all of us, Susan!

5 Comments +

Add a Comment


by mjb89 May 9, 2012 9:22 AM EDT: Wow, someone had a really bad day, didn't they. I don't see any fear in the fawn and it seemed to be having a romping good time with the dog.; Reply to this comment

by ell510 May 8, 2012 6:47 PM EDT

The film is annoying, to say the least. The fawn was terrified and charging the dog to save itself. A brief 10-sec. clip would have sufficed, but she should have called the dog off at once--firmly, as though it was the dog who was (or should have been) on a leash and not her. I didn't find this clip amusing at all.

Reply to this comment


by dannysteele May 9, 2012 12:54 PM EDT: While I do not know what deer do to show their emotions, the dog clearly wants to play by his mannerisms. It is implied above that the deer is on a leash, but I see no lead or chain on the deer. The dog turns away from the fawn several times, but the fawn stays. I'm guessing that the fawn does not feel threatened by the dog.


by msmelis100 May 9, 2012 2:21 PM EDT: I'm inclined to agree. I think people are projecting dog body language onto the fawn.

After a few seconds watching, I realized that the fawn didn't look like it was playing back. It looked like a DOG would look if it was playing (wiggling its tail and charging), but not like a fawn.

I think it was defending itself - standing its ground and then when the dog would "attack", it would defend back. I'm guessing it didn't run away b/c it was too late for that - it knew the "predator" would just chase it and get it. (I'm surprised its mother wasn't around - I've never seen a deer that young in the wild w/out its mother very close by.)

I know it's super cute and people get upset when you burst their bubble with cute animal videos, but I don't think this is being correctly interpreted as dog and fawn "playing together". The dog certainly didn't have malicious intentions, but the fawn did not necessarily know that.

Any real deer experts want to weigh in?


by msmelis100 May 9, 2012 2:25 PM EDT: I'm inclined to agree. I think people are projecting dog body language onto the fawn.

After a few seconds watching, I realized that the fawn didn't look like it was playing back. It looked like a DOG would look if it was playing (wiggling its tail and charging), but not like a fawn.

I think it was defending itself - standing its ground and then when the dog would "attack", it would defend back. I'm guessing it didn't run away b/c it was too late for that - it knew the "predator" would just chase it and get it. (I'm surprised its mother wasn't around - I've never seen a deer that young in the wild w/out its mother very close by.)

I know it's super cute and people get upset when you burst their bubble with cute animal videos, but I don't think this is being correctly interpreted as dog and fawn "playing together". The dog certainly didn't have malicious intentions, but the fawn did not necessarily know that.

Any real deer experts want to weigh in?