Martha Stewart spotlights a dog and duck's inseparable bond
A golden retriever named Barley and a Pekin duck called Louie have become inseparable best friends after meeting on Long Island in May 2024. Coverage highlighted by Martha Stewart and The Washington Post shows the bond also helped Barley regain playfulness dulled by epilepsy medication, turning a pet story into viral joy.
The Washington Post reported that within weeks of Louie's arrival, the pair were rarely apart. Owner Tori Cannarelli, who lives in Brookhaven on Long Island, documents their daily adventures on Instagram at @duckandadog, where the account tagline calls Louie Barley's emotional support duck.
Key Takeaways
- Barley, a 7-year-old golden retriever with epilepsy, bonded with Louie, a Pekin duckling rehomed in May 2024.
- Martha Stewart and The Washington Post both spotlighted how the friendship helped restore Barley's personality after medication side effects.
- Experts say young ducks can trigger protective instincts in dogs, which may deepen into lasting companionship.
- A separate viral TikTok clip shows a white French bulldog and duck walking in sync, underscoring the trend.
- Both stories show how unlikely interspecies friendships are capturing wide online attention in July 2026.
How did Barley and Louie become inseparable?
In February 2024, Barley was diagnosed with epilepsy after a string of seizures, according to The Washington Post. Medication stopped the seizures, but Cannarelli told the paper that Barley lost her spunk and spent much of her time sleeping.
That changed in May 2024 when Cannarelli adopted Louie, a 4-day-old Pekin duckling, after seeing a Facebook post from an elementary school teacher rehoming two ducklings. Within a few weeks, Barley and Louie were inseparable playmates.
Why does Martha Stewart's coverage matter?
Martha Stewart featured the heartwarming story for her audience of animal lovers, amplifying a tale that had already resonated on social media. Her piece echoed the Post's reporting that Louie lives in an outdoor pen while Barley keeps trying to sneak him indoors.
Cannarelli told the Post that Louie prefers eating from a dog bowl and "has no idea he's a duck. He thinks he's a dog." That detail helped the duo's @duckandadog account grow as a source of feel-good content amid heavier news cycles covered in our Fintech & Crypto Alerts section.
What do experts say about dog-and-duck bonds?
Stanley Coren, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of British Columbia and author of "How to Speak Dog," told The Washington Post that young mammals and some ducks emit odors that can trigger a protective, mothering instinct—especially in female dogs.
Coren said that protective "halo" at first contact can evolve into friendship over time. He noted the bond might not have formed the same way if Louie had been an adult duck when he met Barley.
Why is a French bulldog-and-duck duo also trending?
Separately, MSN highlighted a viral TikTok video from user @kelfred25 showing a white French bulldog and a white duck strolling across a yard in near-perfect sync to Harry Nilsson's "Best Friend."
According to MSN's report, viewers noted the pair's nearly identical walks as the duck quacked alongside the dog. The owner said the two are always together—a parallel to Barley and Louie's story that shows cross-species companionship is having a moment across platforms this summer.