Ingo is a Belgian Malinois – and his best friend Poldi just happens to be an owl.

They belong to award-winning animal photographer Tanja Brandt.

Opposites attract

According to Brandt, who has taken hundreds of stunning photos of the pair, Poldi was the runt of his family. Hatching days after his siblings, he never had the chance to bond with them and had to be a bit of a “loner.”

And he remained tiny – even compared to other owls. “Poldi” is short for Napoleon.

While he’s always needed a bit more care and attention, that’s fine by Brandt and her dog Ingo, who helps protect him from the predators he’s particularly vulnerable to.

Ingo is the polar opposite of his feathered best friend.

He comes from a family of police dogs and is strong and capable.

“They respect each other and they can read each other,” Brandt says of the pair.

And that’s made obvious in the photos of the two snuggling up together.

The photographer describes her animals as having a “protector-protected” relationship.

Ingo watches out for Poldi, who simply “doesn’t know how to live free.”

But he sure knows how to have fun with his pal!

Viral sensations

Poldi became a pet after Ingo and Brandt noticed his egg alone in the nest and followed his development. Then they took him in.

For years they spent their days playing outdoors on their owner’s property and napping together whenever there was a lull in the action.

The pair have been viral sensations for roughly a decade – and we can certainly see why.

Not only are the photos heartwarming, but it’s clear that Brandt is a very gifted photographer who shares a special relationship with her subjects (which, in this case, happen to be her two pets).

Ingo has other pals and Brandt has other subjects, but the photos of these two together are truly special.

Even with a guest star trying to steal the show, their friendship shines through.

Brandt is lucky to have a dog like Ingo who is clearly well-behaved around the avian crew.

The photographer has been an animal lover since she was a child, but her family never felt the same way. Now she surrounds herself with all sorts of creatures.

And her respect for animals means she won’t photograph them in the wild if they are afraid.

A tragedy, and a new pair of friends

Sadly, Poldi passed away late last year in an accident with his own little owlets.

“We made an emergency operation, but couldn’t rescue him. It was a shock for Ingo and me,” Brandt told PetaPixel.

And while no one can replace Poldi, a sweet little owl is helping.

“Afterwards we got Ronja, a young female little owl and she is so cheeky and so similar to Poldi. Poldi‘s wife Finchen got a new man (Martin)… she didn‘t eat after Poldi died,” Brandt explained.

Luckily, things are looking up for everyone.

“So Ingo and Finchen are a bit happy again,” the photographer said. “We will never forget our little Poldi. But I think Poldi sent Ronja to us. Ronja loved Ingo from the very first moment.”

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Source: Facebook – Tanja Brandt, Bored Panda, ingoundelse.de, PetaPixel, Honest to Paws