A golden Aussie doodle and an 18-month-old are now the best of friends and love playing, eating and talking together.
Parents Brandee Mulligan, 37, and her husband, Casey, welcomed Butters to the family when Mayer was just three months old.
And it was love at first sight for the two.
Butters was so gentle with baby Mayer but also loved hopping onto his bouncing chair and constantly wanted to be near him.
Then when Mayer became more mobile, he wanted nothing more than to snuggle up to and play with his four-legged friend.
Mum-of-three Brandee said: ‘Butters is the perfect dog. She is playful, gentle and loves the kids.
‘My husband grew up with dogs and we decided we wanted the same for our kids: Marley, now eight, Miller, now four, and of course, Mayer.
‘Before we brought Butters home, I envisioned her growing up alongside our baby and it melted my heart.
‘As soon as they were introduced, Butters was so gentle with Mayer.’
Now the duo are inseparable and enjoy chasing each other around and swapping treats.
Brandee added: ‘They do everything together. They love to swim together when we are at our lake house, they eat treats together, and walk together.
‘They also share toys and love to steal toys from one another which is funny.
‘Butters and Mayer give each other constant attention. It’s the cutest thing.
‘To begin with, I was a little nervous that it would be really hard to train her and that she’d be nippy with the baby, but we couldn’t have had a more positive experience.
‘She is so smart and sweet, and she has never once nipped at the baby or kids, or been aggressive.’
Brandee says the only thing the family have to be mindful of is the fact that Butters loves to chew and destroy stuffed animals and wooden toys.
The mum, from Wisconsin, US, says watching the pair grow up together has been the sweetest thing for the family – and she wouldn’t change it for the world.
She added: ‘Seeing how Mayer’s eye light up around Butters is the best feeling.
‘I love seeing how much Butters loves being with the kids too.
‘I don’t think she realises she is a dog, she just thinks she is our fourth child and the fourth sibling to our kids.’
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