Have You Seen This? Just a tortoise and a dog being pals

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THE BACKYARD — I've always been a sucker for videos of unlikely animal friends. A clip featuring an ocelot playfully chasing a swan? I'd love to see it. What's that? There's a video of a dolphin swimming around with a chinchilla on its back? Sign me up.

Perhaps I'm drawn to these videos because the pets I grew up with rarely got along. We owned various snakes and lizards, and if they ever crossed paths, it was a sure bet that a fight would break out. Don't even ask me about the time that my king snake escaped from its cage and somehow ended up in the Savannah monitor's enclosure.

So, imagine my surprise the first time I saw a rottweiler playing with a kitten. There was no biting. No clawing. Just two animals enjoying each other's company.

I have to say that this video features one of the more unique pairings I've seen in a while:

You might suppose that a dog/tortoise playdate would be boring. I mean, the dog might be lively, but wouldn't the tortoise just kind of shuffle along? Nope. This particular tortoise actually has impressive wrestling skills. And when the dog playfully nips at it, the tortoise chomps right back.

Anyway, I hope this little clip brings some joy to your day. Because even when life seems dark and gloomy, just remember that somewhere out there, a dog and a tortoise are locked in an adorable wrestling match.

Have You Seen This? Just a tortoise and a dog being pals

Posted - Oct. 26, 2025 at 3:30 p.m.

A dog and a tortoise play in this Sept. 23 video. (ViralHog via YouTube)