A video of a golden retriever making the most of his morning—and saving his owner a job—has gone viral on social media, earning more than 1.7 million views.
The TikTok footage, shared by Joan McKenzie (@notjoanmckenzie), shows the moment she walked through her house following the sound of running water. She discovered her dog, River, not only running his own bath but also standing in it, a clip that has now racked up almost 247,000 likes.
Text layered over the video reads, “I woke up and my dog made his own bath,” and the caption adds that it was the “second time” during that week.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) notes that golden retrievers have a thick, water‑repellent double coat that sheds heavily once or twice a year, with lighter shedding happening all the time.
Most of the loose fur can be managed with a weekly brushing, though daily grooming is needed during big shedding periods.
Baths help loosen dead hair, but the dog must be fully dry before brushing. Otherwise, goldens need only the occasional bath, along with routine nail trims like any other breed.
While River may be keen to take a soak in the bath, regularly bathing dogs isn’t recommended.
Newsweek previously spoke to Dr. Jerry Klein, chief veterinary officer at the AKC, about how often owners should wash their canines—and the answer isn’t simple.
Klein said: “In a nutshell, most dogs can get by being washed about once a month, but it’s not as easy as it seems: it also depends on the individual’s breed, length and type of hair, lifestyle (plays in muddy lakes, show dog, etc.).
“Most importantly, it’s how you wash your dog that is important, and, for that, I always advise my clients to use less shampoo (consider diluting the shampoo) and rinse, rinse and then rinse again!
“More damage can happen to a dog’s skin from not thoroughly rinsing shampoo than from over-shampooing or using the wrong shampoo.”
Viewers were quick to weigh in on River’s bathtub habits.
“Don’t yell at him. You named him River. He’s fulfilling the prophecy,” said one user. McKenzie replied: “Girl it’s a struggle I can’t go anywhere with a pool because he jumps head first.”
“He didn’t overflow your tub, trust me, you’re having a GREAT day!” another commenter wrote.
A third added: “I can’t even get my golden retriever anywhere near the bathtub.”
Newsweek reached out to @notjoanmckenzie for comment via TikTok. We could not verify the details of the case.