Dogs are incredibly empathic creatures, which makes them wonderful emotional support animals. Both my Dachshund and Puggie mix know when one of us is sad or feeling under the weather and go into ‘nurse dog’ mode, watching over us while providing plenty of snuggles. This protective nature goes for their fellow fur babies as well, where canines take care of other dogs in need.
Wally the Golden Retriever sensed that his foster dog sibling was nervous about getting a bath and fully committed to supporting his canine companion.
One would assume from the opening shot of the video from @wally.meets.world that Wally was the one getting a bath. The gorgeous Golden calmly sat in the tub when the camera panned over to show another precious pooch in the tub.
“Our foster dog was afraid to take a bath so our dog got in too,” the onscreen text explained, with the caption sharing, “No matter where you need him, Wally will be there.”
Wally was the picture of peace as he stayed by his nervous furry friend. The Golden exuded a serene spirit which seemed to help the foster dog through the bathing process. It’s like Wally knew the timid dog needed help and he was more than happy to lend a paw.
Rescue Dogs Benefit From Having a Role Model
Many rescue dogs come with a traumatic past and can benefit from having a companion dog in the home. Since dogs are pack animals by nature, that instinct brings many positive traits to their relationship with other canines like compassion, protectiveness and empathy. Experiencing these qualities from a fellow fur baby can greatly help a foster or rescue dog acclimate to their new living environment.
A foster or rescue dog observing your canine interact with you and others lets them know that people can be trusted. Your pooch can also teach your foster or rescue how to play simply by modeling basic actions like fetching and running.
Just as Wally demonstrated, your dog shows your new fur baby that certain everyday things like baths are safe to do. Your foster or rescue is more inclined to try something if they see their “role model” doing it.
Wally is living proof that dogs are natural caretakers and seem to take on that role when needed. They are often a wonderful support to a new pet in your home.
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This story was originally reported by Parade Pets on Oct 27, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add Parade Pets as a Preferred Source by clicking here.