An unlikely match! Puppies help Cheetahs stay calm

An unlikely match! Puppies help Cheetahs stay calm

Many zoos in the US have found that pairing pups with cheetah cubs help them with their nervousness and ignite their confidence. 

Labrador puppy plays with a cheetah cub
Labrador puppy plays with a cheetah cub/Twitter/@_B___S

When you think about cute puppies, you rarely picture them with wild cats such as cheetahs. 

But it seems stepping outside the laws of what we know to be natural can have enlightening results. 

A special relationship between a cheetah and a dog has shocked many people. 

"The practice of rearing young cheetahs with a canine companion has become a major means of relaxing the notoriously nervous cats at U.S. zoos from New York to San Diego." (Atlas Obscura)

A special bond between besties, labrador Bowie and cheetah Nandi became something of a talking point a few years ago. Their unusual yet close relationship astonished many people. 

We know dogs to be man's best friend, but it seems that their ability to pair well with the fastest land mammal is the perfect match. 

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After research scientist and conservation biologist Laurie Marker discovered that canines paired well as calming counterparts to the somewhat nervous cheetahs in 1976, it has been used at zoos across the US since. 

"At the Turtle Back Zoo in New Jersey, a resident cheetah has a surprising best friend - a dog. "Bowie" the Labrador retriever and "Nandi" the cheetah have lived together since they were both just a few weeks old. The two were paired together because, according to the zoo, cheetahs are shy by nature. Having a dog by their side helps cheetahs build their confidence." (NDTV)

Check out this news snippet that covered a story of a singleton cheetah cub who was paired with a pup - and they have become best friends. 

This is a classic example of how anything is possible in life. 

These two creatures are not supposed to get along, according to the laws of nature, but they have defied that by connecting in a unique and endearing way. 

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