A San Diego golden retriever is going viral after greeting a home intruder with the one thing he apparently thought the stranger needed most: a stuffed toy.

Nash, a four-year-old golden retriever, did not bark, charge or hide when a man climbed into his family’s Sherman Heights home. He wagged his tail and kept trying to start playtime.

The first video shows Nash carrying his toy through the house while the bizarre break-in unfolds around him:

 

Homeowners Dante Rowley and Stephanie Calderon were returning from Chicago when they opened their Ring app and spotted a ladder against an upstairs window. From their plane, they watched a man climb into the house and remain there for roughly 30 minutes.

The stranger removed his shoes and shirt, ate yogurt, turkey and cheese from the refrigerator, and eventually lay down for a nap.

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Nash had another idea. Security footage showed the 90-pound dog approaching the man with toys at least three times, apparently convinced that the unexpected visitor had come over to play.

NBC 7 San Diego reports that two of the family’s three dogs were inside during the break-in. Nash repeatedly delivered toys, while the homeowners’ other dog, Oli, stayed out of the encounter.

The local outlet also reported that the suspect tried to escape through a first-floor bathroom window when officers moved in. Police caught him in the backyard.

NBC 7’s report captured the wonderfully simple split-screen reality of the incident: the owners saw a burglary in progress, while Nash saw a potential playmate.

Rowley contacted the San Diego Police Department from about 30,000 feet in the air and gave officers access to the live camera feed. That allowed police to follow the suspect’s movements while the homeowners relayed updates from the flight.

Officers arrived within minutes and sent a small police drone through the open upstairs window. The aircraft moved through the home before officers entered with their weapons drawn.

The intruder ran from the drone, crossed the house and headed for the bathroom window. Police were already positioned outside.

The Gateway Pundit highlighted the most surreal stretch of the footage: Nash offering stuffed toys while the drone tracked the suspect through the living room, then greeting the armed officers with another toy when they entered. The report said the man was charged with burglary and had outstanding warrants, citing NBC San Diego.

The outlet’s account also traced the break-in from the homeowners’ first phone alert. The man had used the family’s own ladder to reach a cracked second-story window, then settled into the house long enough to raid the refrigerator and take a nap.

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Throughout that stretch, Nash returned with three different toys and kept wagging his tail. The police drone finally changed the suspect’s priorities, sending him across the room as officers closed in.

A second video clip puts the dog’s relentlessly friendly reaction front and center:

Police arrested 57-year-old John Cline on suspicion of first-degree burglary, according to local reporting. Rowley said the family did not lose any property and found no damage.

The couple plans to install a taller fence and a home alarm system.

Nash came through the ordeal safely. His guard-dog reputation did not.

Rowley joked that Nash is “not the greatest guard dog” and said the family expected him to bark at strangers. Instead, the big golden retriever treated the intruder, the drone and the arriving officers like new guests at the world’s strangest playdate.

The video has drawn millions of views, and it is easy to understand why. Police had the situation surrounded, the homeowners were directing the response from the sky, and Nash never stopped believing somebody might finally throw the toy.

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.

 

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