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Who would have thought a dog and a butterfly could be friends? Meet Milo the Butterfly King! The 3-year-old Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever has forged an unusual friendship with the monarch butterflies that call his garden home.
Milo’s fascination with his butterfly pals started when thousands of Vanessa cardui (aka painted lady) butterflies migrated through his Los Angeles neighborhood one spring. His mother, Jen, immediately noticed how gentle he was with the butterflies when they flew near him or even landed on his nose.
Because monarch butterflies are headed toward extinction due to pesticides, urban development and global climate change, under Milo’s “supervision,” Jen adapted and expanded their home garden to attract monarch butterflies so he would be able to visit his new friends all summer long. Plus, Milo’s butterfly garden gives the caterpillars a safe place to turn into butterflies under his careful watch.
Jen, a florist and photographer, combined her love of nature and flowers to create stunning photos of Milo with his butterfly friends. Jen says she started Milo’s Instagram account “as a way to bond with him, and he was just the cutest puppy you ever saw!” Milo’s 100,000-plus followers agree. Milo also uses his platform to educate his followers on important environmental issues affecting our world, including conservation, climate change and how to create a zero-waste planet.
Milo is also a doggie chef! In March of 2020, he launched his now popular YouTube show Drooling for Treats. On each show, he shares how to make some of his favorite dog-friendly treats, which include a delicious strawberry butterfly cake and festive doggie candy canes.
Milo is no stranger to the limelight, either! In July of 2020, he was selected as a Good Morning America pet of the week. With Jen’s help, he appeared on national TV to tell his story of his unusual butterfly friendship.
No matter how famous Milo becomes, he’s still a normal dog at heart and enjoys spending time with his family and doggie friends. As a retriever, he needs lots of exercise and loves to go on hikes and play at the beach. According to Jen, “He loves to explore the garden.
He checks on the chickens, smells the roses and looks for monarch butterflies who always are flying through the garden.” Milo and Jen’s story of how his unlikely friendship ultimately resulted in giving them a platform to educate others while spending quality time together should be an inspiration to us all. And it should remind us to stop and enjoy nature, appreciate our relationships, and if we pursue those things we enjoy, it might just lead somewhere great that we could never have expected.
To see more of Milo’s adventures, visit:
Website: milothetoller.com
Instagram: @milo_the_toller
YouTube: youtube.com/milothetoller
Facebook: @milothetollers
Twitter: @milo_the_toller
About the Author: Rachel Phelps, “America’s Pet Parent,” is an award-winning writer, photographer and certified dog trainer. She keeps busy managing the career of her Internet celebrity dog Preston from PrestonSpeaks.com. She has three Westies, who think they are mini-humans, and a cat, who rule the house. Learn more at RachelPhelps.com.
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