Melanie Joy over at @the3retrievers just shared a clip of what happens when a Golden Retriever realizes his brother is home from oral surgery. Oakley had a rough day at the vet and returned home feeling a bit sensitive. But Gus immediately stepped up to be the head of the care-giving team.
This breed is famous for being incredibly sensitive to the feelings of their pack. Gus refuses to leave the room until the job is done and stays glued to his brother’s side, offering support and many, many kisses.
Golden Retriever helps furry sibling recover from oral surgery
When the video opens, we see Gus standing right next to Oakley, who seems to have just returned from Oral surgery. Immediately, Gus starts licking the side of Oakley’s mouth. In fact, Oakley just stands there and accepts the help while his sibling gets to work. He understands that his brother is just trying to be useful. This pup is clearly on a mission to speed up the healing process.
The licking continues for several minutes without any protest. Over 119,000 people have already liked the footage in less than a day. Everyone is obsessed with how much these two look out for each other.
The most heart-melting part is when Gus starts quivering his mouth during the session. Melanie Joy admitted she completely lost it when she saw his little face shaking like that. Some viewers think he feels deep empathy for his sibling as he recovers. Others suggest he is using his Jacobson’s organ to process the weird smells from the vet. He is essentially tasting the air to figure out what is wrong with his buddy. Eventually, he decides to double down on the snuggles to make sure everything is okay.
Gus continues giving what his mom calls “non-stop kisses” even when he is told to take a break. He looks at the camera with eyes that say he is not finished yet. This Golden Retriever is a very determined nurse who just wants his brother to feel better. From his point of view, he is just making sure his family member is safe.
