Dog looks unusual animal right in the eye – this isn't something you see everyday

If you crossed a beaver with a guinea pig and then inflated the result you would have a capybara, or something very much like it. Standing 18 inches (45.7 centimeters) at the shoulder and weighing up to 150 pounds (68 kilograms), the capybara is the largest rodent in the world, Mother Nature Network reports.
The animal is native to Central America and northern South America, living a semiaquatic life along lakes and rivers and eating up to eight pounds (3.6 kilograms) of grass and aquatic plants every day. A capybara must also grind down its long front teeth by chewing bark as needed; like other rodents -- most famously its cousin the beaver -- the teeth never stop growing.
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With webbed feet and the ability to stay underwater for up to five minutes, the capybara is well-suited to the water, especially as a way to hide from predators. Like the hippopotamus, the capybara's eyes, ears, and nostrils are located at the top of its head -- excellent for staying in the water for long periods of time to avoid a hungry ocelot, puma or jaguar.
Although they are not domesticated, a few capybaras have been kept as pets. A Texas woman kept a capybara named Caplin ROUS (if you're familiar with "The Princess Bride" movie, you know that ROUS stands for Rodents of Unusual Size); he became an internet sensation, and, when he died, the ROUS Foundation was founded in his memory.
Seen below is JoeJoe the Capybara, a mellow guy living with his owner in Las Vegas. His Instagram account has more than 108,000 followers! His Facebook page includes "playing with other animals" in his list of "personal interests" -- watch the video below to see him quietly interact with a pair of Australian shepherd dogs.
Would you keep a giant rodent as a pet? Please SHARE this story and tell us your opinion in the comments below!
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