A dog and chipmunk have struck up an unlikely friendship - and will not let anybody else join their little gang.
Gary Townsend films his chipmunk, Mike, and American bulldog, Winston, play and hang around together at his home.
Their friendship, which started two years ago, has been documented on TikTok, with a recent video of the dynamic duo reaching more than two million views.
Gary, from Ontario, Canada, also has a red tail squirrel that attempts to attack Mike but fortunately four-year-old Winston is there to chase the squirrel away being his fearsome protector.
Gary said: "Winston always wants to come out early every morning with me for my coffee and feed the chipmunk so we do this almost every day and constantly throughout the day."
Sign up to our TeamDogs newsletter for your weekly dose of dog news, pictures and stories.
"The reaction has been so awesome Winston is loved now by millions."
However, Mike and Winston are not the only mix-species duo to have struck up a friendship, with Gina, a golden retriever, and Hamlet, a micro pig, striking up an adorable bond.
The dog and pig have become each other's partner in crime, as they spend their days tormenting their owner Arianna Tsolakoglou before cuddling up on the sofa as if nothing happened.
Arianna, who lives between California and Athens, said: "What I find amusing is that they have evolved into being like siblings but also partners in crime and will often collaborate to achieve a common goal - and that has to do with food most of the time.
"It is very interesting that they each pitch in with their own capacity to be able to reach food that is not accessible.
"It seems to me that Hamlet uses his intelligence and problem-solving skills and Gina uses her physical capacity, as she is a bigger creature, to get to things that they are not supposed to."
Gina and Hamlet can often be found cuddled up next to each other during nap time.
Arianna said: "They have many moments of affection - such as when they cuddle or when they play together or when they simply just want to be next to each other and have their bodies touch while keeping their personal spaces."
Although her pets enjoy their one-on-one time with their owner, they end up missing their 'other half' after spending more than a few hours apart.
"I have noticed that when I am only with one of the two, they appreciate it because they feel like they have alone time with me and that they have my full attention," Arianna added.
"But at the same time, when they meet again, I can see that they actually missed each other - they greet each other.
"I personally have very different relationships with the two of them.
"I've noticed that to Gina I am more like a mum and she seeks my nurturing and affection.
"She can get jealous with Hamlet even though they are like siblings, whereas to Hamlet it seems that I am more like his love.
"This seems to be the reason why he looks at me with infatuation and is often also very jealous of men."
Do you have a cute dog story to sell? Email paige.freshwater@reachplc.com.
