This 600-pound donkey thinks he's a lap dog, and his owner can't convince him otherwise

Some animals that somehow forget they are animals? Give them a whole pasture and plenty of room to roam, and they'll still decide the best place to be is right next to their favorite person. 

That's pretty much Chocula. This donkey grew up so attached to Adam that he followed him around, stole his shoes and hats, and even tried to climb onto him despite eventually weighing around 600 pounds. 

Then another donkey came along, and Chocula finally had someone his own size to hang out with.

The 600-pound donkey who wanted to be with his pops

Chocula was born on Halloween, which is how he got his name. When his owners brought him home at eight months old, they had no real experience raising donkeys and were learning as they went.

It didn't take Chocula long to settle in. Within about a week, he was comfortable around the family and had already picked his favorite person: Adam, whom they call his "pops."

Whenever Adam was outside working, Chocula wanted to be nearby. He followed him around, grabbed his hat, and found plenty of ways to get his attention. He also liked trying to climb onto him, which is amusing until you remember that this was a donkey who would eventually weigh several hundred pounds.

The hugs were sweet, but Chocula's idea of playing wasn't always quite as gentle. He would bite and jump on Adam, behaviors that may occur during rough play but can become dangerous when a full-grown donkey directs them at a person. He even figured out how to pull Adam's shoes off his feet.

His owner joked, "I always say he tries to take his shoes away so that he can't leave him again."

Then Chocula got a brother

The family realized Chocula needed a companion who could actually keep up with his energy, so they visited a nearby sanctuary. They had planned to look for an older, energetic donkey, but Booberry changed their minds.

Booberry was a tiny orphan who had lost his mother about a week after they were rescued. He was extremely skinny and could barely walk, so he wasn't exactly the robust playmate the family had originally imagined. Chocula didn't seem concerned about any of that.

When Booberry arrived, Chocula started spinning, hopping, and bouncing around him. As Booberry became more comfortable, the two began chasing each other around the yard and quickly developed their own little routine.

They also didn't seem to appreciate being separated. When the family took Chocula for a walk without Booberry, Booberry would call for him until his brother came back.

By evening, the pair had another habit: walking up to the back door together and waiting for dinner.

Keeping big donkeys safe

Chocula might behave like an oversized house pet, but he's still a powerful animal. Jumping, pushing, or rough play can become dangerous when a donkey weighs hundreds of pounds, even when there's no intention to hurt anyone.

That's one reason having a suitable donkey companion can be so helpful. Donkeys are social animals, and another donkey gives them opportunities to communicate, play, and interact in ways people can't fully provide.

Boundaries with humans matter too. Habits like jumping up, crowding people or grabbing clothing may seem harmless when an animal is young, but they're much harder to manage once it reaches full size. Calm handling and consistent redirection can help prevent those behaviors from becoming ingrained.

When introducing a new donkey , starting with a safe barrier allows both animals to see and smell each other before they share the same space. Giving them time to adjust can make the process much easier.

A pretty good setup for everyone

Booberry gave Chocula something Adam never could: a companion who actually speaks donkey. The two can chase each other around the yard, settle down together, and keep each other occupied, while Adam remains Chocula's favorite human.

And somehow, despite having another donkey around and an entire farm to explore, Chocula still finds plenty of reasons to keep tabs on his "pops." If that means stealing a shoe every now and then, apparently that's just part of the arrangement.