‘Not the greatest guard dog’: Golden retriever befriends intruder, brings toy to play

Nash was just as welcoming when the police arrived. The dog greeted them at the door with a toy in his mouth, seemingly more interested in making friends than guarding the house.

A golden retriever in San Diego appears to have a very different idea of what a guard dog is supposed to do. Nash, a 4-year-old golden retriever, repeatedly offered toys to a stranger who allegedly broke into his family’s home earlier this month, seemingly treating the intruder like an unexpected playmate rather than a threat.

The incident took place in Sherman Heights, just east of downtown San Diego, while Nash’s owner, Dante Rowley, and his family watched through their home security app.

According to NBC 7, the man allegedly entered the house by climbing a ladder to an open second-floor window. Once inside, he reportedly took off his shoes and shirt, sat on a bench in the foyer and helped himself to yoghurt, turkey and cheese from the refrigerator.

At one point, he even appeared to settle in for a nap. He allegedly remained inside for around 30 minutes.

Two of the family’s three dogs were at home at the time, including Nash. Rather than barking or confronting the stranger, the friendly retriever repeatedly walked over with a toy in his mouth.

“The dogs we just wanted to make sure they were safe,” Rowley told NBC 7. “Nash is not the greatest guard dog. We thought he was going to bark at people and he did the exact opposite.”

Security footage shows Nash approaching the man with a toy on several occasions, apparently inviting him to play.

Nash apparently remained just as welcoming when police officers arrived. The dog greeted them at the door with a toy in his mouth, seemingly more interested in making friends than guarding the house.

The alleged intruder, however, tried to avoid the encounter. He reportedly attempted to escape through a bathroom window but found officers waiting in the backyard. He was subsequently handcuffed and arrested.

The man was charged with burglary and also faced outstanding charges connected to unrelated incidents, NBC 7 reported.

The unusual reaction soon caught the attention of social media users, many of whom found the dog’s friendliness both amusing and surprising.

“Not me expecting him to play with the dog at some point in the video to make up for intruding,” one user wrote.

“So glad they didn’t pow pow the dog. Whew,” another commented.