12-year-old golden retriever overjoyed with new puppy pal: Watch them play

A 12-year-old golden retriever’s “puppy side” came out when her owner brought home a new companion for her.

Heartwarming footage shows a joyful Ally playing happily with her young golden retriever pal, Beau, at their home in Spanish Springs, Nevada.

“I was nervous at first about how she’d react, but seeing her gentle and loving with him from the start made me tear up,” Hackler said. “It felt like she instantly accepted him as part of the family.”

While Ally loves being around other dogs, Hackler said she and her partner “weren’t sure how she would react with Beau staying forever, especially with her old age.”

Ally's “puppy side” came out when her owner brought home a new companion for her, a four-month-old golden retriever named Beau.

Beau made Ally act like a ‘puppy again’

Before Beau came into their lives, Hackler said Ally had been sleeping and lying around more than usual. The 4-month-old golden retriever came as a breath of fresh air and infused new life into Ally, who started acting like a “puppy again.”

“She played with toys that she hasn’t touched in years,” Hackler said. “She has taken on a mother role by showing him how to ‘dog’ and has been loving having a playmate at home.”

Beau, on the other hand, is basking in Ally’s attention and “loves having a big sister to play, lay, and nap with,” Hackler said, adding her pets’ favorite things to together are “napping side by side, playing in the yard, going to the lake every weekend, and going on little adventures together, especially when there’s a treat involved.”

Ally and Beau at their home in Spanish Springs, Nevada.

This story was updated to add more photos.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.