Golden Retriever Sulks in the Bath As Owners Prepare To Bring Newborn Home

US

A golden retriever made his feelings clear about the imminent arrival of a baby in the house by pulling a “tantrum” in the bathtub.

Golden Sinatra, named after the legendary Frank Sinatra, lives in Hoboken, New Jersey, with his owners, Greg and Jackie.

The couple recently learned they were expecting their first child, and broke the news to their pup by buying a stroller, to introduce him to some of the changes that would soon be coming to their home.

“He absolutely freaked out,” Jackie told Newsweek.

A video posted to their TikTok account @sinatrathegolden in June has racked up close to 1 million views in a matter of days, and shows Sinatra hiding in the bathtub from the stroller, having a “full temper tantrum.”

First hiding behind the shower curtain with just his snout visible, he then stands in the tub, barking at the stroller, before turning his head away and refusing to look at it.

Sinatra the golden retriever isn’t a fan of new things in the house. His reaction to a stroller has gone viral on TikTok.

TikTok @sinatrathegolden

Jackie told Newsweek: “His tantrums usually stem from new items we bring into the house that he’s not used to. For instance, we have a golden retriever light-up statue for Halloween and Christmas that we can’t put out because he throws a fit and hates it.”

The couple had bought the stroller to slowly introduce the dog to the idea of a newborn in the house, with experts advising that a dog gets used to the smells and sounds of a baby before it is born.

A report from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) writes that expectant parents should unwrap new baby supplies and introduce them to the dog one or two at a time.

They may also use baby powder and shampoo on themselves to get the dog used to the scent, and consider playing audio of babies’ cries during pregnancy, while also giving the dog attention and treats to assure them the noises are nothing to worry about.

Greg and Jackie, who adopted Sinatra as a puppy from a family who “couldn’t handle him,” said that “despite his quirks, we love him dearly and are excited for him to have a human sibling soon.”

Sinatra
The retriever barked, hid in the tub and refused to look at the stroller. But despite his quirks, his owners are looking forward to introducing him to his human sibling.

TikTok @sinatrathegolden

TikTok users fell head-over-heels for the golden, with his video boasting over 165,000 likes, and one commenter laughing at “the way he refuses to look at you.”

“Being upset in the bath is such a vibe,” another wrote, with another declaring “dogs are so dramatic I love them.”

“Side eye from the tub,” another wrote, and as one put it: “I’m going to live with grandma.”

Thankfully, Sinatra’s owners revealed in a comment that they took the pup on a walk with the stroller to test him out, and “he did great.”

Retail operations worker Greg and business development worker Jackie explained Sinatra is the “real boss of the house,” who “adores kids” but unfortunately has a strong dislike for anything large and wheeled in the house.

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.