Odd couples are the cutest, especially when it comes to mismatched animal buddies. Osiris and Riff Rat are an unlikely animal pair, and they are just about the cutest pals ever. The 3-year-old Dutch Shepherd therapy dog has taken watch over the little rat, who was rescued at four weeks old and nursed back to health. The pair has been inseparable since. Their humans have been documenting their relationship on Instagram, and the pictures they’ve shared are simply precious. Osiris and Riff Rat play together – **including the times when Osiris lets Riff climb into his mouth**. It’s pretty clear that their relationship is built on a lot of mutual trust – **just check out the pictures below.**
#RiffRatt is getting pretty great at standing on his back legs! A photo posted by Osiris + Riff Ratt ??? (@osirisandriff) on Apr 13, 2015 at 6:16am PDT
Back when #RiffRatt was just a little guy. #OsirisAndRiff A photo posted by Osiris + Riff Ratt ??? (@osirisandriff) on May 6, 2015 at 9:18am PDT
This is super typical. Riff Ratt really likes licking the inside of Osiris’ mouth. I’m sure you all are wondering if we’re afraid Osiris will eat Riff – NOPE! Osiris has helped foster and care for dozens of animals and he is the gentlest dog I’ve ever met. See for yourself! A photo posted by Osiris + Riff Ratt ??? (@osirisandriff) on Apr 15, 2015 at 11:52am PDT
#OsirisAndRiff #RiffRatt #OsirisTheDog A photo posted by Osiris + Riff Ratt ??? (@osirisandriff) on May 11, 2015 at 9:06am PDT
Wow! Thanks for all the likes, follows, and comments. Here are a few answers to FAQs we’ve been getting. May we re-post your photo(s)? Yes, you may use our images AS LONG AS you link back to this Instagram account. You should add watermarks! No. Watermarks are ugly and we will not be watermarking our images. If you use them, please be a decent human and give us credit. Can I interview you? Yes, we do interviews! Please email osirisandriff@gmail.com! About comments/questions regarding Riff: Yes, rats are good pets. They are smart, affectionate, and clean. They are not gross. Please stop leaving nasty comments telling us to kill or torture Riff Ratt, the world does not need more negativity. They will be deleted if we see them. Also, to those commenting that Riff “needs a companion” – leave us alone. We don’t need your advice and will adopt another rat when we find one in need. Riff was rescued at the age of three weeks, from a pet store specializing in reptiles. We fell in love with him, knew he was going to die as snake food, and decided to nurse him back to health by bottle-feeding him. About comments/questions regarding Osiris: Osiris was found as a tiny puppy, abandoned in a parking lot in Detroit. He is specially trained to be gentle with small animals and help keep them warm if they are too tiny to keep on a heating pad. PLEASE do not adopt a rat to be “pals” with your dog just because you saw these two being cute on social media. Adopting pets should be thought through thoroughly. Most dogs will eat a rat as soon as they see it. Osiris and Riff’s human parents are licensed animal rehabbers and experienced foster parents. They have lots of experience with the handling and training of all types of animals. Again, remember Riff and Osiris’ friendship is atypical and should not be attempted unless you know the exact temperament of your dog and it has been specially trained to be gentle with small animals. We will not be responsible for any injury or death caused by poor judgment. I think that’s about it for now! Other questions? Leave them in the comments! A photo posted by Osiris + Riff Ratt ??? (@osirisandriff) on May 8, 2015 at 2:20pm PDT
Here’s one for the #tongueouttuesday tag. #RiffRatt #OsirisAndRiff #weeklyfluff #ratsofinstagram #dogsofinstagram #cute #happy #animalfriends A photo posted by Osiris + Riff Ratt ??? (@osirisandriff) on May 5, 2015 at 1:18pm PDT
#OsirisAndRiff #RiffRatt A photo posted by Osiris + Riff Ratt ??? (@osirisandriff) on Apr 26, 2015 at 5:28am PDT
There’s something you’ll probably want to see on @mickeyalicekwapis’ page this morning. Happy Mother’s Day! #OsirisAndRiff #RiffRatt #OsirisTheDog #weeklyfluff A photo posted by Osiris + Riff Ratt ??? (@osirisandriff) on May 10, 2015 at 7:38am PDT