See the Moment a Barking Golden Retriever Meets a Giant Whale Face to Face

Bark out loud, and you never know who is going to answer.

According to the Associated Press, Macy, the talkative golden retriever, got a surprising response when she started barking at the waters off Lahaina, Hawaii.

The 11-year-old dog's pet parent, Chrissy Lovitt, told the outlet that Macy enjoys joining her on the open waters. Lovitt is a boat captain and the owner of a whale-watching tour business, which lost three boats during the devastating 2023 Lahaina wildfire.

When Macy boards a boat with Lovitt, the dog is also on the lookout for whales, and when she spots one, she starts barking.

"She's been barking at whales her whole life, but they haven't wanted to do anything with her," Lovitt told AP.

On March 30, Macy finally got the attention of a whale during a fishing boat trip with Lovitt. Shortly after setting off in the boat, the pair spotted a humpback whale, so the golden retriever started barking.

Instead of ignoring the dog, the whale drew closer to the pooch.

"He heard her barking and just swam over to meet her," the dog's owner added. "And it was the best day of her life."

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Lovitt filmed the face-to-face meeting between the two species. In the clip, Macy barks at the back of the boat as a whale under the water slowly swims towards the dog. As the humpback whale gets closer, the golden retriever gets more excited. Eventually, the whale breaks the surface, poking the tips of its mouth out of the water.

The humpback whale ends up within a few feet of the dog, who continues to bark excitedly at the massive marine mammal. The creatures share a few moments of close connection before the whale slowly swims away.

Lovitt, a 25-year boat captain, is ecstatic for Macy, who has been fascinated with "sea life and whales" since puppyhood.

"She's 11, and I know we don't get forever with her. But this has been on her bucket list, so I'm just super happy for her," she said.

The whale-watching tour operator relaunched her business in December and makes a point to set aside free seats on her tours for Lahaina wildfire survivors so they can experience the joy whales bring.