Golden Retriever Refuses to Let Her Rescued Deer Bestie Nuzzle Anyone Else

Benny the deer took two quiet steps across the gravel driveway to greet another dog, but Junie was already closing the gap.

The Golden Retriever didn’t growl, snap, or bare her teeth. She simply trotted over with breezy confidence, wedged her shoulder smoothly between the two of them, and tilted her head upward until Benny had no choice but to bury his velvet nose right back into her fur.

Stepping in before another dog gets a turn

In the clip shared by caregiver Lorry Brown on @brownhikingtrails, the entire interaction unfolds with hilarious, polite determination. As Benny wanders across the driveway, he leans in close to Junie’s muzzle, happily trading sniffs and nuzzles while the retriever basks in the attention. But the second the young buck turns his head to say hello to another pup lounging nearby, Junie shadows his feet like a seasoned soccer referee.

Every time Benny attempts to inspect the other dog, Junie steps into his path, nudging in front of his chest and offering her ears for another round of scratches. As reported by DogTime, Brown underscored the moment with Gin Blossoms’ classic track “Hey Jealousy,” adding: “Junie will not tolerate Benny loving on anyone but her.”

Viewers across social media immediately recognized that unmistakable retriever possessiveness:

Raising an orphan fawn turns into a lifelong claim

While a friendly deer-and-dog duo looks like something straight out of a woodland fairy tale, the bond between these two has deep roots. Brown documents life at her family sanctuary, where rescued wildlife, dogs, and farm critters share daily trail walks. Junie stepped into a maternal caregiver role the moment Benny arrived as an orphaned, spotted fawn found at the meadow’s edge.

After spending a year grooming Benny, supervising his nap times, and leading him on morning woodland excursions, Junie clearly feels she has earned exclusive cuddle rights. Retrievers are legendary for their friendly, communal nature, but anyone who has shared a couch with one knows they also keep an exact mental tally of where every scratch goes.

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That subtle possessiveness is familiar territory for pet parents with multi-animal households. When a dog views another creature as their personal charge, stepping in between rivals isn't aggression — it's gentle gatekeeping. For Junie, Benny isn't just an outdoor buddy or a neighborly buck; he's her kid, and she isn't sharing him without filing a very heartwarming objection full of humor.