Dog goes viral after pictures show it being inseparable from stuffed toy

Dogs may be man’s best friend, but one cuddly canine in Colorado is swapping out her human for a stuffed toy.

Pictures of Elliott Mae, a 3-year-old Merle Great Dane, have gone viral after they show the dazzling dog snuggling with a stuffed animal from the Disney movie “Pete’s Dragon,” British news agency SWNS reports.

“I got Elliott from a breeder in May of 2017 when she was 8 weeks old,” Elliott’s owner, Mandy Helwege, said. ”I’d dreamed of owning a Great Dane growing up and waited over 15 years to finally be able to own one.”

Helwege continued: “I ordered the dragon toy off of Amazon so her breeder could use it in a photoshoot with her that I paid her to do when she was 4 weeks old. We have kept it with her old collars as a keepsake for close to three years.”

Merle Great Danes are often recognized by their unique coats and often have “a lighter coat with darker grey spots or splotches all over,” according to GreatDaneCare.com.

Mandy said she’s enjoyed every moment with her precious pup.

Elliott Mae is “the best hiking partner,” Mandy said, adding she loves to explore the surrounding mountains, almost as much as she loves being in front of the camera and the center of attention.

Mandy admitted that Elliott is “not the brightest crayon in the box sometimes,” but her ability to make her laugh and her companionship are treasured to the utmost degree.

”I’d often heard the phrase of people referring to one of their dogs as their ‘heart dog’ and I can’t say I understood that sentiment until Elliott came into my life,” Mandy continued. “We have a connection unlike anything I’ve ever experienced or even could’ve imagined the first time I laid eyes on her.”