Barclay is a golden retriever and Rudy is a white Pekin duck, and for years they were inseparable companions in the California home of their owner, Pam Ishiguro. Their friendship did not start well. Barclay discovered that the ducks' food was delicious and kept helping himself, and Rudy, the boss of the little flock, made it his job to chase the thief away. Because the dog kept coming back, the two saw more and more of each other, and the rivalry slowly turned into a bond.
Pam began photographing them napping, playing and following each other around the house, and in 2017 the pictures were picked up by the British press, when Rudy was about four years old. In an interview with the Daily Mail, she summed up the pair: "When they are together, somebody is always chasing or jumping on someone else, but when they are apart, they're always calling for each other."
Below are the photos with notes on what each one shows, followed by some background on why dogs and ducks can get along, and what owners should keep in mind if they try it at home.
From food thief to best friend
According to Pam, the attraction was mutual. Barclay liked drinking from the ducks' bath water, and Rudy took to climbing on top of the dog now and then, as if claiming him. She described them as the odd ones out on the playground who found each other. In 2019 a later video from the same household, filmed in Yorba Linda, California, showed a second duck, an Indian Runner called Pippi, trying to wake a sleepy Barclay for playtime, so the dog clearly became popular with the whole flock.
Rudy rests his long neck across a sleeping Barclay, with his body tucked against the dog's chest. Ducks usually keep a careful distance from predators, so a duck choosing to rest against a dog's neck is a sign of real trust built up over time.
Barclay rolls on his back on the wooden floor while Rudy settles calmly a short distance away, with a few dog treats scattered between them. The relaxed body language on both sides, belly up for the dog and feathers sleek for the duck, shows two animals at ease in each other's company.
Life in the yard and the duck house
Here Barclay lies among the ducks in their greenhouse-style enclosure, near the food bowl that started the whole story. Several Pekins wander around him without fuss. It is a good picture of how familiar the dog became to the entire group, not only to Rudy.
Dog and duck sit side by side on the lawn, almost posing for the camera. Pekins stand quite upright, so the pair look like two friends waiting together for something to happen.
On a rainy day, Rudy stays dry indoors behind the glass door while a soaked Barclay stands on the wet patio looking in, and a small terrier peers out too. It is a funny reversal of expectations, since the duck is the one that should enjoy the water.
Naps, hugs and a duck on a dog
Rudy drapes himself right over Barclay's head while the dog dozes with his eyes shut. Golden retrievers are known for their gentle, tolerant temperament, which helps explain why Barclay simply lets it happen.
In warm evening light, the two press their heads together in a close portrait. The orange glow makes both animals look darker than usual, but it is the same white duck and golden dog.
Rudy sits on top of Barclay as the dog lies on his side, the "claiming" habit Pam described. Barclay seems entirely unbothered, which says a lot about how comfortable he had become with the duck.
Heads together on the floor, both animals are fast asleep. Pictures like this were the ones that made the friendship famous, because they show trust rather than tolerance.
Barclay pants happily at the camera with his tongue out while Rudy nestles into the fur behind his neck. The duck's choice of spot, close to the dog's head, is typical of their many photos together.
Watch them together
The video below shows the pair moving around together, which gives a better sense of their personalities than still photos can.
Why a dog and a duck can be friends
Pekin ducks are a domestic breed descended from the wild mallard, developed in China and later brought to the United States in the nineteenth century. Generations of breeding made them calmer around people and much heavier than wild ducks, so they cannot fly away from trouble. Golden retrievers, for their part, were bred to carry shot birds gently in their mouths without damaging them, and they are famous for being easy-going.
That combination helps, but it does not guarantee friendship. Barclay and Rudy grew up around each other and had time to sort out their differences, and their owner was there to watch. Retrievers and many other breeds still have a strong interest in birds, and a single grab can seriously injure a duck.
If you keep dogs and poultry together, a few habits make a difference:
- Introduce them slowly, with the dog on a lead or behind a barrier, and keep early meetings short.
- Never leave them alone together until you are completely sure of the dog's behaviour, and even then supervise play.
- Give ducks a secure enclosure and their own water to bathe in, and feed them where the dog cannot steal the food.
- Ask a vet if either animal shows signs of injury or stress after interacting.
The story of Barclay and Rudy is charming precisely because it is unusual. It shows what patience and familiarity can do, not what every dog will do with every bird.
Sources: Photos by Pam Ishiguro (also credited to Bancroft Images). Daily Mail: the inseparable dog and duck; ABC7: duck tries to wake sleepy golden retriever (2019).
We had dogs growing up too, but, they were ranch dogs so they "went" out in the fields. My old man wouldn't let them go on the lawn or eat too much pig ear snacks.
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