A golden retriever named Lucie has captured the internet's attention with her distinctive 'moo' sound, which she has made since puppyhood. The nine-year-old dog, who loves cows, went viral after her owner, Cara Ovens, 36, began sharing videos on social media. In one clip, Lucie 'moos' at a group of cows, who moo back in apparent surprise.
Early beginnings of a unique bark
Cara, from West Lothian, recalled that Lucie first made the unusual noise at around ten weeks old. 'It started very early, and it was a bit of a shock,' she said. 'It just got more enthusiastic as the years went on, and here we are, nine years later, and she's louder than ever.' Despite her unique vocalization, Lucie is in perfect health and can also produce a typical barking sound. Cara believes Lucie enjoys the reaction she gets from people with her unique noise.
From 'woo' to viral sensation
While the noise sometimes reminds Cara of a cow, she says it often sounds more like a human saying 'woo'. 'I think she learnt that it gets a reaction,' Cara laughed. 'She does many different tones, different volumes, different strengths – I do think it's a communication method above all else. There have been a couple she's done in the past which sound very close to a human saying 'woo', but I can appreciate when surrounded by cows, it sounds very like a 'moo'.'
Cara began sharing clips of Lucie on Instagram (@luciewoos) in 2020, but the dog first went viral in spring 2025. 'In April last year, I posted a really short video of her running down the stairs – she 'woos' while going down the stairs, so it sounds incredibly daft. That video went way more viral than I could ever have thought,' Cara said.
Online community and joy
Lucie has amassed nearly 200,000 followers on Instagram. Commenters have been amused and bemused, with some even suggesting Cara consult a pet psychic to understand the behavior. 'Most of the comments we get ask if she barks as well – and yes, she does, it can be quite noisy!' Cara said. She added that the joy Lucie brings is the main motivation for sharing: 'Most of the time we get comments of people saying how much joy it brings them, which is the reason I decided to start sharing in the first place. She makes me laugh out loud, without fail, every single day. If we can spread that joy a little bit further, that's the goal.'
