Dog owner asks maintenance guy to film their Golden Retriever’s reaction to ‘stranger danger’ test — and their theory is instantly proven right

One dog owner recently discovered that their Golden Retriever had a very different approach to 'stranger danger.' Curious to see how their pet would behave, they asked the maintenance worker who came to their flat to film the dog’s response. The clip was posted by a Reddit user on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, and quickly gained attention online. The outcome of the test didn't seem to surprise the dog parent and only confirmed their suspicion about their dog's guard dog nature.

As reported by The Mirror, the video uploaded by Reddit user u/Canadianman24 was filmed from the maintenance worker’s point of view. Throughout the clip, titled “Golden Retrievers don't believe in stranger danger, they see everything as friends,” it became clear that the owner’s Golden Retriever did not follow the usual protective instincts expected from guard dogs. The video showed the maintenance worker entering the flat while the dog stretched and wagged its tail, signaling relaxation and friendliness. The worker greeted the dog, saying, “Hey buddy! How are you doing buddy?” while gently stroking its head. The dog then fetched a toy from its bed, rolled onto its back, and allowed the worker to scratch its belly and face. The video ended with the maintenance worker praising the dog, saying, “You are such an excellent dog!” Pet specialists note that dogs express affection in various ways, such as wagging their tails, licking, or presenting a favorite toy, as per PetMD.

The post quickly encouraged people to share their thoughts and observations on the clip, with many recalling pets that were far friendlier than expected when meeting new people. u/ToTheTop24 joked, "This dog even shared his favorite toy with the guy within seconds." u/veggie-princess recounted, "The same thing happened to a friend of mine. An acquaintance who had been over to the house a few times decided to rob it. He had met their Belgian Malinois before, and that dog was totally fine with him coming in, but when he tried to leave, the dog wouldn't let him!" u/things_U_choose_2_b expressed, "Absolutely useless as a guard dog, irreplaceable as a companion!"

According to PetsCare, Golden Retrievers can notice unusual activity and alert their owners by barking, showing protective instincts. That said, they are not well-suited as guard dogs since they usually lack aggression and can be overly friendly with newcomers. These adorable canines often solely focus on playing and getting rubs. Another recent incident proved exactly this when a thief sneaked into a San Diego garage to steal a bike, but the household’s Golden Retriever had other plans. The dog rushed out, wagging its tail and jumping on him, not to scare him, but to invite some playtime. Surprisingly, the thief paused, gave the dog belly rubs, and even joked about taking him home. After the playful interaction, the man carried on with the bike while the joyful dog watched, showing friendliness over aggression. The entire encounter, captured on CCTV, left viewers both amused and amazed.