Best Friends Won't Let Dog Park Fence Stand In Their Way

They say opposites attract  — and with Ryker and Bailey, it couldn’t be more true.

While Ryker, a German shepherd, is hyper, Bailey, a golden retriever, is calm.

Ryker is naturally outgoing and loves meeting new friends, while Bailey is shy and needs some encouragement. But, put the two dogs together, and you’ve got a perfect match.

And their owners are so glad they found each other.

“When Ryker and Bailey met each other, they had both just turned 1 year old, and still had lots to learn,” Christine Sauvé, Ryker’s mom, told The Dodo. “Ryker helped bring Bailey out of her shell and become more assertive and playful with other dogs. They’ve brought out the best in each other.”

The two dogs first met online, when their moms started following each other's Instagram profiles. When Bailey’s mom moved 10 minutes away from Sauvé’s home in Ottawa, in Ontario, Canada, puppy playdates became a common occurrence — and soon, not even a fence could keep them apart.

“[Ryker] cannot contain her excitement when she sees Bailey and is small enough to wedge herself under the [dog park] fence,” Sauvé said. “Then Bailey doesn’t care that the gate's open and she shoves herself under too! They’re both so funny and are always making us laugh with the silly things they do. Anytime they see each other it’s this level of excitement.”

“They have quite the fun friendship and balance each other out,” Sauvé said. “Bailey is a calm, people-loving golden with the brightest, drooly smile. She’s one of Ryker’s favorite chew toys!”

Bailey has had her work cut out for her when it comes to helping Ryker relax, but over time some of her laid-back attitude has managed to rub off on her friend.

On the other hand, Ryker tries as hard as she can to rile up Bailey, but the chill pup has remained true to who she is despite Ryker’s best efforts.

“She’s always nibbling on Bailey and trying to get her to zoom around with her,” Sauvé added, “but Bailey only zooms for 10 seconds at a time.”

A year into their friendship, the two dogs are inseparable.

They play in the snow during the winter …

… they love to swim together in the summer ...

… and, after a long day, they nap together.

And, no matter where they are or what they’re doing, Ryker always has to have one paw touching Bailey.

Like, always.

And Bailey doesn’t mind one little bit.