When Judie Jacobs first noticed her golden retriever, Murphy, sitting by the sliding glass door every afternoon, she assumed he was just enjoying the view.
But after a few days, she realized something else was going on. Murphy wasn’t watching the yard — he was waiting for someone.
That someone was a tiny red squirrel who had started visiting their backyard.
“She was cautious at first,” Jacobs told The Dodo. “But over time, the trust was built. Chippy — that’s what we named her — would actually come to the door and call for Murphy to come out. We thought it was really sweet, so we started to foster their friendship.”
Soon, Murphy and Chippy had a daily routine. Jacobs would ask, “Do you want to feed Chippy?” and Murphy would race to the pantry, waiting patiently for her to grab some nuts. Together, they’d walk outside to deliver the treats.
“It became this really adorable routine for all of us,” Jacobs said. “Murphy even started bringing her his favorite ball and other toys — just trying to share with his little friend.”
The bond between the gentle golden and the curious squirrel grew stronger every day — until one afternoon, Chippy stopped showing up.
Murphy waited at the door, day after day, a little sadder each time she didn’t appear. Then, weeks later, she returned — and she wasn’t alone.
“We realized Chippy had gone away because she was pregnant and had babies,” Jacobs said. “She was busy being a mom.”
One of those babies, a little squirrel missing her tail, instantly bonded with Murphy just like her mom had. Jacobs named her Peanut.
“I could see that Peanut and Murphy had developed this magical friendship — the same way he had with Chippy,” Jacobs said.
Today, Chippy and Murphy still see each other almost every day, and the backyard has turned into a gathering place for an ever-growing squirrel family.
“We even have a black squirrel named Eddie and a gray one named Buff,” Jacobs said. “Eddie is living in the house my dad built for the squirrels!”
And through it all, Murphy remains as patient and gentle as ever.
“He doesn’t bark or chase them — he just watches quietly,” Jacobs said. “He loves wildlife and seems to understand they’re his friends.”
From Chippy to Peanut and now Eddie and Buff, Murphy’s backyard friendships keep growing — proof that kindness knows no species.
You can follow the heartwarming adventures of Murphy and his squirrel pals on Instagram and TikTok.
