Golden Retriever's Obsession With Bathtime Results In A Very Special Surprise

Anyone who's ever spent any time around golden retrievers knows that these dogs love two activities above all others: splashing in water and retrieving things. In a sweet video by The Dodo that's been viewed more than 203,000 times, Finn the golden retriever is obsessed with his owner's bath time. Whenever he hears the bathwater running, he trots into the bathroom with a toy, tennis ball, or sock in his mouth, which he then drops into the water. "He finds great joy in this hobby of his," his owner, Lucy, says in the video, to which one of the viewers responded, "Hobby? He's a retriever! He's doing his job." Another added, "Hooman, I am a retriever doggo. Dis is what I do."

After Lucy's attempts at a relaxing bath are repeatedly interrupted by Finn's adorable shenanigans, she decides to surprise her furry friend with a wading pool of his own. As soon as she fills it up in the yard for the first time, Finn starts dropping his toys in the water and splashing around in the pool. "All you had to do for some alone time was buy your dog an above-ground pool," one viewer suggested cheekily, while another commented, "Nothing better than understanding the assignments that your dog gives you."

Golden retrievers were bred in Scotland in the 1800s to retrieve aquatic birds such as ducks and geese for hunters, so an affinity for water has quite literally been bred into these hunting dogs, which have their own unique history and characteristics. They are considered one of the top waterfowl dog breeds, alongside Labrador retrievers and Chesapeake Bay retrievers.

Goldens have a double coat consisting of a water-repellent outer coat and an insulating undercoat, useful for staying warm on chilly Scottish hunting excursions. Most of these dogs love getting wet and muddy — in fact, absolutely filthy golden retrievers are usually the happiest golden retrievers. Many goldens also have webbed feet, which make it easy for them to move through water or on muddy wetlands.

"Golden retrievers are water dogs. They love the water. He's just doing what he's supposed to," one viewer of the YouTube video wrote about Finn, while another jokingly referred to "Finn, the mer-dog." With his own pool and a seemingly endless supply of chew toys and tennis balls, Finn is clearly living his best life.