This Labrador Adopted These 9 Ducklings and Now They All Live Happily Ever After in a Castle

Parenting can be rough, but this dog makes it look easy.

A 10-year-old labrador named Fred in the U.K. has become a somewhat accidental dad to nine ducklings that were found waddling around Mountfitchet Castle in Stansted, Essex.

The poor ducklings seemed to have lost their mother, so the castle staff took them in. Since then, the paternal pup has watched over them as his own. This is the definition of a very good boy.

Castle owner Jeremy Goldsmith told the BBC Essex that Fred is a “typical Labrador with a lovely nature.” This isn’t even his first rescue. In the past, he has also nursed a squirrel back to health by keeping a close and loving eye on it.

Goldsmith said to the BBC that the ducklings never leave Fred’s side and even sleep in his bed with him.

The ducklings are expected to stay at the castle until they’re old enough to leave. Until then, they’ll be waddling behind their new dad and riding on his back on sunny afternoons.

Who would really want to leave castle life, anyway?