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Tmaag Photography (@tmaagphotography) shared a fun video on Instagram recently of a Golden Retriever named River visiting the home of a domesticated Great Horned owl for the very first time, and it seems like the two became instant besties!<\/p>\n
The video starts inside a home, with the owl perched on a hallway light fixture, curiously watching River while he stares right back. Make sure your sound is on for this one; it honestly sounds like the owl is barking at the dog! In the next clip, the unlikely duo is cuddled up together, and let\u2019s just say\u2026 that\u2019s definitely not something we had on our bingo card!<\/p>\n
Tmaag<\/a> joked in the video’s caption that River had trained for the day he’d get to hold the owl his whole life! His excitement at the end of the video was so cute! Tmaag said he lost his mind he was so excited, and we’re pretty sure that would’ve been our reaction, too!<\/p>\n One commenter pointed out, “The owl looked pretty happy perched on him, too!” Tmaag replied, “He loved River. Must be that golden energy!”<\/p>\n @nelson24487 cracked us up when they asked, “Is that owl barking and panting? How\u2019d they get dog software to run on an owl?” @asimpleminded12 joked, “You can change the language in the settings.”, while another commenter added, “It\u2019s the live action Duolingo owl.”<\/p>\n Related: Sleepy Owl Enjoying a Shower at Nature Institute Is a Moment of Pure Zen<\/strong><\/p>\n \ud83d\udc36<\/a>SIGN UP to get \u201cpawsitivity\u201d delivered right to your inbox with inspiring & entertaining stories about our furry & feathered friends<\/strong><\/a>\ud83d\udc3e\ud83d\udc3e<\/a><\/p>\n While it\u2019s their striking eyes that tend to capture our attention (they have some of the best night vision of any animals on the planet), it\u2019s really an owl\u2019s ears that do most of the work when they\u2019re hunting. According to All About Birds<\/a>, an owl\u2019s ears are different sizes, which helps them hear sounds at slightly different times, allowing them to pinpoint the exact location of their prey. Their flat faces also help funnel sound directly to their ears, so they can detect even the faintest noises. Believe it or not, the Northern Hawk Owl can hear prey scratching around a full 12 inches beneath the snow!<\/p>\n This fact was mind-blowing to me: not all owls hoot.\u00a0The “who who” that we normally all think about when it comes to owls is the sound that the\u00a0Great-Horned owl\u00a0makes. Other owls screech, chirp, whistle, and make other sounds, but they don’t hoot.<\/p>\n I have a healthy respect for the owls in our neighborhood and am always on the lookout for them. Most owls are illegal to\u00a0keep as pets, with a few exceptions. It’s crazy to know that these birds are always around us, hiding in plain sight, thanks to their great camouflaged colors. You really have to look hard to spot them!<\/p>\n This story was originally reported by PetHelpful<\/a> on Oct 28, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News<\/a> section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\nCool Owl Facts<\/h2>\n