Puppies naturally bring chaos to the household while they learn the rules and release their energy, but one owner thought her golden retriever would eventually calm down. That might not be the case.
Ebonie told Newsweek that her one-year-old golden retriever, Oakley, is full of energy with a side of destructiveness. She said he will destroy items in her house, dig in the garden and chew on her baseboards. But given his age, she held onto hope that he would grow out of these bad habits.
But after chatting with her cousin, who also had a golden retriever, Ebonie realized that might never happen. Her cousin’s dog, Boyo, acted like a puppy his entire 15 years of life. She shared on her TikTok account earlier this week the similarities between Oakley and Boyo. Despite the age difference, both canines have pictures standing proudly next to their destroyed doggy beds with the stuffing scattered across the floor.
“I was reminded of how mischievous Boyo was,” she said. “I realized this is the next 14 years of my life.”
Ebonie always thought that by two or three, Oakley would “calm down” and owning a dog would become easier. And in some cases, it might be.
Golden retrievers typically mellow out when they reach two years old, according to Dogster. Owners may notice a gradual decrease in energy, although this does not happen overnight, and some may never fully calm down. Behaviors, such as chewing, jumping, or barking, can persist in these dogs into adulthood but can be addressed with training or consistent attention.
As high-energy dogs, golden retrievers can become bored easily. This breed requires a minimum of two hours of exercise daily, according to People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals, which includes walking, playing and training. Pent-up energy might cause them to be destructive. Golden retrievers thrive on attention, which is why leaving them alone for long periods can cause them to feel anxious or stressed.
Ebonie assured Oakley is never left alone for long periods. He goes on two walks daily. She even sends him to doggy daycare when she goes to work.
“After speaking to my cousin and my experience, this is the typical golden retriever experience, which we LOVE and wouldn’t change for the world,” she said.
Viewer Reactions
The TikTok video reached over 43,900 views and 6,874 likes as of Wednesday, with users laughing at her hope, as they’ve been in her shoes before.
“My labernese is almost 2.5 years old and she’s still a menace,” one viewer wrote.
Another joked: “Oh god, please no, I will be financially bankrupt by 30 if this is the case.”
“He’s so proud of his destruction, too,” a third commenter said.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
