A golden retriever's dramatic encounter with her "worst enemy" during a walk has left viewers on TikTok in stitches.
The short clip, posted by the dog's owner under @golden_girl_nala on December 16, has garnered over 5.3 million views and more than 906,000 likes, sparking widespread amusement among viewers on the platform.
The 37-second video, captioned, "Frosty better watch out," shows Nala, a female golden retriever, trotting along a sidewalk on a snowy stroll. Suddenly, her tail droops, and she stops abruptly, locking eyes with her nemesis -- a snowman that stands outside a house in her neighborhood.
Clearly alarmed by the frosty figure, Nala backs away with caution, maintaining intense eye contact. Her body language shifts between apprehension and curiosity as she walks far away from the snowman, while keeping her eyes on it and barking in its direction.
An overlaid text on the video read: "My dog's worst enemy is the snowman in our neighborhood...She never sounds this mean unless this snowman's presence...Golden retriever are friendly, unless you're Frosty the snowman. Then not friendly."
TikTok users were quick to share their amused reactions in the comments. The post has amassed more than 8,100 to date.
"She's PROTECTING you," one viewer, @kpom97, said,
Another, @plant.based2000, added: "I wonder if it is because they don't smell anything when they felt they should. To us it would be like hearing something without seeing it or something. Would freak us out too!"
"Go and pet the snowman to show her that he's friendly," a third viewer, @mady.kimiko, said.
Another, @sarahbelle.89, added: "Retrievers pick the oddest things to be afraid of, lol."
"My golden had a problem with an orange traffic cone the other day," another, @kirbyangie76, added.
"I'm fully convinced she knows something we don't," another viewer, @skyyfii, said.
Golden retrievers are often celebrated for their friendly and affectionate nature, but they can indeed be protective of their owners when necessary. Their loyalty and strong bond with their families drive them to guard against perceived threats.
While not traditionally classified as guard dogs, their intelligence, ability to train and keen sense of awareness make them alert to unusual situations. When faced with a potential danger, their protective instincts can quickly kick in.
Nala's owner frequently posts short clips documenting the canine's adventures, and the sweet bond she shares with the cat she lives with.
Newsweek reached out to @golden_girl_nala for more information via TikTok.