Boxer Dog Who No One Wanted Makes Friends With Squirrels
Martha, a senior Boxer dog, has an unusual pastime — making friends with squirrels.
Erin adopted Martha back in in 2015 from Boxer Rescue LA (BRLA). Martha has an 18-inch scar along her back and a strong aversion to dogs, but Erin notes, “She likes squirrels. It’s very strange.”
It took a couple of years before Martha could even be near other dogs. To help her feel safe, Erin began taking her to a leash park with wide-open spaces and no narrow trails, ensuring Martha wouldn’t feel forced into close encounters.
While at the park, Martha developed a curious habit. She would walk up to the base of a particular tree and stand perfectly still. Over time, the squirrels began to trust her — some even ventured down to touch her paws. Erin says Martha has never shown aggression toward the squirrels, adding, “If she had, I would stop it immediately.”
If you have trouble viewing the video above, try the version below.
Martha now sits like a statue for up to an hour, quietly spending time with her squirrel friends. If another dog approaches, Martha shifts slightly, signalling the squirrels to retreat back up the tree.
For over two years, this peaceful routine has continued. Interestingly, Martha only interacts with squirrels at this one specific tree, ignoring those in her backyard or elsewhere in the park.
“We go every weekend to visit her squirrel friends,” Erin shares on TikTok. “I have never seen another dog that does this. I didn’t train her. She just learned [that] if she holds still, they do not run away.”
Happily, through her visits with her squirrel friends, Martha has made her first dog friend – Cali, the German Shepherd. Cali has watched Martha with her squirrels for two years. Over the past month, Martha has let her guard down around Cali.
Their friendship is blooming and Martha recently went to the beach with Cali where she played with another dog for the first time.
@boxernamedmartha This old lady is learning how to play….thanks to Cali the most patient dog in the world. #rescue #rescuedog #rescuedogsoftiktok #pet #petsoftiktok #dogsoftiktok #dog #boxerdog #boxerdogsoftiktok #gooddog #germanshepherd #bestfriends #beachday #adoptdontshop #dontshopadopt #rescuedogsrock #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #dogvideos #animalfriends #petlover #doglover ♬ original sound – G.r.o.z.z.i.e