A golden retriever has gone viral after Ring camera footage showed it greeting a home intruder with a toy and repeatedly trying to play fetch instead
A golden retriever has been dubbed “the worst guard dog” after a viral home security video showed him greeting an intruder in the only way he knows how – by bringing him toys and trying to start a game of fetch.
The dog, Nash, is a four-year-old, 90-pound golden retriever who has shot to global fame after cameras captured him “protecting” his San Diego home in California, USA, by acting like the burglar was a new pal.
The incident happened earlier this month, in the Sherman Heights neighbourhood of San Diego, while Nash’s owners, Dante Rowley and Stephanie Calderon, were away.
The couple were about to board a flight back from Chicago when they were hit with a Ring camera alert showing a man breaking into their house through an upstairs window. Homeowner Dante Rowley later posted a clip of the incident online.
Set to the Bad Boys theme of cult TV show Cops, he described in the captions how he got a Ring alert as he was boarding a flight. The footage shows a man jumping over the fence and then propping a ladder up against the building so he could climb in through a window.
Instead of barking, growling or trying to scare him off, Nash can be seen padding over with a stuffed toy in his mouth, tail wagging, repeatedly attempting to persuade the intruder to play. Rowley said the man stayed inside for around 30 minutes and appeared to get comfortable. ‘
“The guy made himself at home,” Dante wrote. “Took off his shirt and shoes and ate a few yogurts and then passed out on the blanket we left out for the dogs.”
During the break-in, the owners did everything they could from afar to protect Nash. Watching the live feed, they frantically used the Ring camera’s two-way audio to shout his name and try to give commands like “Come here, Nash!” and “Get out!” in the hope he’d head out through the dog door into the safety of the enclosed backyard.
Instead, Nash just kept offering his toys – and the intruder appeared to ignore the dog completely. The couple contacted the San Diego Police Department straight away and gave officers real-time access to the camera feed.
Police surrounded the house and even sent a drone inside to track the suspect. When armed officers finally entered through the front door, Nash was still unfazed – and greeted the police the exact same way, with a toy in his mouth.
The intruder tried to escape through a first-floor bathroom window, but officers were waiting and quickly cornered him in the backyard before arresting him. Nothing valuable was stolen, nobody was hurt, and Nash came out of the ordeal perfectly safe – and more famous than ever.
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