Meridith Ellis tells PEOPLE her poodle Ash waits faithfully by the water until a seal swims over to play — a friendship that’s lasted months
Courtesy of Meridith Ellis
The first time Meridith Ellis noticed her poodle fixated on the waterline, it felt like something out of a storybook. Then a sleek head surfaced offshore, and the dog’s mysterious beach vigil suddenly made sense.
“Ash is a two year old silver standard poodle,” she tells PEOPLE, explaining that seals and sea lions have been drawn to him since he was still a puppy. She says his friendship with one particular mother seal and her pup began in late spring last year and has continued ever since.
What followed has now captivated millions on TikTok: a dog trotting to the shoreline, tail high, while a wild seal glides in to meet him. In video after video, the pair appear to recognize each other instantly, their encounters unfolding like reunions.
@ash.in.carmel We’re about six weeks into their friendship here. #poodle #standardpoodle #harborseal #carmelbythesea #dogandseal
♬ Shallow Water – Yehezkel Raz
Ellis says the ritual has a rhythm both animals seem to understand. Ash watches the water intently, she explains, until the seal hears him from a distance and swims over.
“He watches the water faithfully until she hears him from a distance and swims over,” Ellis says, describing how their latest visit stretched nearly an hour. The dog seems to distinguish between marine mammals, she adds, knowing seals are safe companions to play with.
For viewers, the unlikely friendship has struck a deep emotional chord. Ellis says when she began sharing Ash’s seaside encounters online, comments poured in from people who felt unexpectedly moved.
She recalls hundreds writing that the videos made them cry, while others wished for mythical creatures like mermaids and selkies. People are aching for hope and magic, she says, and she tries to create small vignettes of connection through Ash’s content.
Behind the scenes, the bond carries personal meaning shaped by grief and recovery. Ellis shares that she is a breast cancer survivor who lost a beloved “heart dog” that once accompanied her through long, foggy chemo days spent rock hunting.
“I thought she was irreplaceable,” Ellis says of that earlier companion, describing the dog as a steady presence who kept her safe. Now she finds herself with a poodle who loves tidepooling and beachcombing, alerting her to incoming waves and, astonishingly, communicating with seals and sea lions.
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The sense of wonder has reshaped how she sees the world after illness and loss. Ellis calls the universe generous and says she feels fortunate to witness Ash’s connections with other species.
The friendship may soon expand beyond one shoreline. Ellis says she hopes to take Ash on whale-watching boats, curious whether he will connect with whales as easily as he has with seals.
She is also planning a coastal road trip through Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands and coastal British Columbia, places where ocean wildlife thrives.
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