A dog with a strangely long neck has gone viral online for resembling a different animal entirely - a llama.
Badger the two-year-old pup is a rare mix of breeds which leaves her with "goofy proportions" and a rather unusual appearance.
Rachel Clemmer, from South Arizona, US, says she noticed the dog's quirky features the moment she walked into the rescue centre, and named her Badger after her "badger-like face".
Rachel told The Mirror : "The llama neck became obvious when we put a collar on her - we didn't know whether to put it at the bottom or the top of her neck!"
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The crossbreed found fame online after owner Rachel shared a photo of her on Reddit, with the caption, "This is my dog Badger, she has a llama neck".
Her post received 26,000 upvotes and sent animal lovers into a frenzy, with one person commenting: "Omg you're right...especially with her dark black eyes."
Badger's abnormally lengthy neck had people amazed, though there is controversy at to which animal she resembled, with speculation over a "fruit bat", "tall otter" or "part wolf".
"According to a DNA test we did recently, she's a mix of chow chow, Rottweiler, Chihuahua and a slew of other breeds, even 5% coyote," Rachel explained.
Badger has lived with Rachel and her partner Nathalie for about a year, after being rescued from a hoarder home where she was neglected and abused.
She arrived with several injuries and bald spots, and her tiny ears are a result of stunted growth from a head injury.
"She was very frightened and reserved during her first few weeks with us. When she began feeling safe and loved, she completely opened up and has run our lives ever since," Rachel explained.
Despite her abusive past, Badger is the happiest dog with an "extremely goofy, outgoing and sassy" personality.
"She's very vocal and likes to howl 'awoo' and squeak to let you know how she feels," Rachel said.
"She thinks every other dog is her new best friend (whether they agree or not), and adores her humans and older canine brother, Traveler."
Badger's favourite food is chicken nuggets and she loves playing in water, making monsoon season her favourite.
"We'll go to a wash with running water and let her splash to her heart's content," Rachel said.
When the family are out and about, passers-by often stop to admire Badger's appearance.
"We get a lot of comments about her llama neck and goofy proportions in general," Rachel added.
"A friend even said when they first saw her, 'she's not a very dog-shaped dog."
Does your dog look like a different animal? Email nia.dalton@reachplc.com.
