Some dogs win hearts with smiles, others with sweetness, but there is one Golden Retriever who has a very unique secret weapon for this breed—his grumpiness. And once you catch a glimpse, you’re done for, because you’ll fall in love very quickly.
Born with dwarfism, this pup has the cutest, most unique expression that looks a little cranky but radiates charm. It’s impossible not to fall in love with that perfectly pouty face. Check him out!
On November 5, TikToker @echogoldenbear shared a video of Echo, a beautiful Golden Retriever who has dwarfism and is known as the “World’s Grumpiest Golden Retriever.”
It’s not typical to see a grumpy Golden Retriever, but that’s what is so charming about this guy. His grumpiness has everyone falling in love with him because he’s not only short, thanks to his dwarfism, but his smile is hard not to smile back at.
Related: Sleepy Golden Retriever Fights To Keep His Eyes Open Just To Greet His Mom
In the comments, hundreds of people shared their feelings after watching Echo share his giant, grouchy grin. And it’s safe to say people fell in love.
One person wrote, “Hey, there’s nothing wrong with being short and mean, sincerely a short and mean girl.”
Another shared, “He’s not mean, guys, he just likes to smile a lot.”
Someone else added, “No matter how many times you do this trend when it pops up, imma like it.”
Other comments included, “So he has a short temper,” “What if he’s trying to smile,” “Grumpy old man,” “His widdo ears,” “But he is cute,” “He thinks he’s tall,” and “He’s darling. He’s smiling with attitude. It’s fine.”
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Dwarfism in Golden Retrievers Isn’t Common
The reason Echo is so short is because he has dwarfism, according to a comment his pet parent left on the video. But according to experts, it’s not a common trait for Golden Retrievers.
My Golden Retriever Puppies explains that it’s a “rare but notable” condition found in this breed, which causes them to have a smaller stature compared to other pups in this breed. They note that it is typically the result of a “genetic mutation” that impacts their bone growth and is inherited from one or both of their parents.
Whether Echo is being grumpy for real, for fun, or he’s trying to smile, we love that he’s living his best life, and that his community of people obsessed with him either way continues to grow.
This story was originally reported by Parade Pets on Nov 16, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add Parade Pets as a Preferred Source by clicking here.