Golden Retriever Politely Asks 'Best Friend' Food Truck Worker for Pup Cup
A video of a golden retriever asking for a "pup cup"—whipped cream typically served in an espresso-sized cup—in the "cutest" way has warmed the hearts of TikTok viewers.
The clip was shared by 29-year-old Haley Dwyer (@haleydwyer_) and has amassed over 390,000 views since it was posted Friday. Dwyer is a public relations director for an agency in Charlotte, North Carolina, where the clip was filmed.
The video features Charlie, a 5-year-old English cream golden retriever who "loves pup cups," Dwyer told Newsweek.
The footage shows Charlie on a leash walking with Dwyer's fiancé toward the Revival Coffee and Ice Cream truck, which parks in front of the couple's apartment every Sunday. Upon arriving at the truck, the dog sits down in front of it and lets out a quiet bark while looking up at the vehicle.
Dwyer said: "Charlie can see them pull in from our apartment window and knows that it's time for his Sunday ritual—a delish pup cup."
A message overlaid on the viral clip reads: "When your golden retriever sits in line and politely orders a pup cup from his favorite coffee truck."
Dwyer said: "We've been getting pup cups from this food truck for about a year. The owner is always so friendly and is definitely Charlie's best friend, besides his parents of course."
Dog owners in the United States spend over $2 billion a year on treats for their canine companions, veterinarians Krista Williams and Robin Downing wrote in an article for VCA, the animal hospital chain.
It's fine for your pup to enjoy a sweet treat. But having too many will disrupt your dog's appetite for regular food, Williams and Downing said.
"This can contribute to a nutritional imbalance in the long term, and can turn him into a 'fussy eater,' making it particularly challenging to use therapeutic nutrition should the need arise later in life to manage a disease nutritionally," they said.
Dog treats should never make up more than 10 percent of your pet's energy/calorie intake, and keeping it at 5 percent is even better, the veterinarians advised.
They said this is because dog treats, unlike commercially prepared dog foods, are not balanced and nutritionally complete. Also, "providing too many treats actually upsets the nutritional balance of the regular ration."
"Do not be fooled by treats that are labeled 'light' or 'lower calorie.' These are not significantly lower in calories than other treats, and they do add extra calories to a dog's daily intake," Williams and Downing wrote.
Excessive treats can also raise your dog's risk of becoming overweight and obese. Both conditions "are now afflicting family dogs at epidemic rates," the veterinarians said.
'Best Friend'
TikTok users adored the golden retriever's polite manner in the clip.
Heidi Bunn said: "That was the cutest thing ever!"
SCW wrote: "He said 'HERE' very politely," and MeekoMalinkie said, "Sounded like 'please' to me."
"Lovely manners, you beautiful pup," said mbshaik.
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.