You know how some dogs are fierce protectors and watch dogs? Yeah, well not Duke. The Golden Retriever is… not exactly the observant type. The dog doesn’t have any situational awareness, which you could really see when a deer came close to him and his mom. Duke had no clue! And his lack of awareness now really has people on the internet cracking up.
It’s not every day that a deer gets close to you and your pupper. One would think your pooch would have a strong reaction to the creature. But nope, not Duke! Duke didn’t even know that he and his mama weren’t alone together. Which is just so funny.
You know who was excited to see the deer? Duke’s mama. The woman was ready to feed the little guy and everything. It’s a shame that her pup had no clue that the deer was there or else he might have been excited too. Instead the Golden Retriever was zoning out — he was truly in his own little world.
“Is she going to come up to us?” the woman asked from behind the camera. “Dukers, the deer is over here!” she told him.
“Oh, is there a deer here? When did that happen?” We can imagine the pup saying.
“POV: You own a Golden Retriever,” the video’s text overlay reads. “Duke is not very aware of his surroundings,” the woman joked in the caption.
People in the comments section were cracking up. Duke really was a little oblivious.
“Deer: sit, Duke. Duke: got it, Ma’am,” joked one person.
“The fact that you had to point the deer out when it was literally 10 feet away is sending me,” someone else wrote.
The deer *immediately* realizing this dog is not a threat is sendingggggg me,” chimed in a third commenter.
While another commenter was just as confused: “Genuine question but why are most Golden Retrievers so nice? Has it been bred into them? What was their original purpose?” they wondered.
Why Are Golden Retrievers So Nice?
It is true that Golden Retrievers are nice puppers. But why? The truth is that Goldens are very social animals that have sweet and gentle temperaments. They want to please their owners and are very obedient. They’re also affectionate, making them a sweet, lovable breed.
It’s all to say that being nice is a part of a Golden’s nature. They can’t help it but be sweethearts.
Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips.
This story was originally reported by PetHelpful on Oct 16, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.