Golden Retriever puppies already come with an extra-large dose of chaos, but teething chaos? That’s a whole different sport. In the adorable clip, a fluffy puppy named River sits in his little green hoodie and chews on the corner of the coffee table, as if it personally wronged him. His mom keeps gently saying, “No,” and moving his mouth away, and River’s response? Go right back for another bite with a full “this isn’t over” attitude. The heart, or mouth, wants what the heart wants. Shrug.
And the best part is the side-eye. River gives her this tiny, slow glance like, “Mother, please, I am working.” It’s the most dramatic toddler energy imaginable. He’s cute, he’s determined, he’s wearing a hoodie, and absolutely nothing, not even polite redirection, is stopping him from trying to turn that table into a teething ring.
The adorable TikTok clip was uploaded by @riverpawsome, and River just looks so chill in his little green hoodie, snacking on the table. One person said something we can argue with, and commented, “It was originally a stick—technically.” True, LOL!
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Someone else said, “He also wants you to know that you will be sleeping on the couch from now on, not in his bed.” He does seem like a bossy little thing, doesn’t he? Another comment responded, “Buy a bottle of bitter apple at your local dog store!!! It really helps!”
The video perfectly captures the stage of puppyhood where your house becomes a buffet, and everything is apparently nom-noms. River, the fluffiest little Golden Retriever puppy in a green hoodie, has decided that the edge of the coffee table is his number one chew toy. The table. Specifically, the corner, like it’s the most delicious wooden popsicle he’s ever encountered. Another comment said, “Mine likes the strings on my PJ pants and sweatshirts. Not to mention my hand. She is hard to redirect, too. I look forward to the teething process to pass.” That’s just the puppy shark stage, and all puppies go through it.
If your own puppy is in the “chew absolutely everything” chapter of life, here’s how to make it easier on both of you.
How To Help a Teething Puppy
Teething puppies need safe outlets for all that chewing energy. Offer a variety of textures like frozen washcloths, rubber toys, and teething bones to soothe their gums. Rotating toys keeps them interesting, and redirecting them consistently teaches what’s appropriate to chew. Puppy-proofing is essential since they’ll try to gnaw on anything within reach. Plenty of playtime, enrichment, and supervised chewing sessions will help them get through the teething phase without destroying your furniture, or at least not all of it.
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This story was originally published by Parade Pets on Dec 9, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add Parade Pets as a Preferred Source by clicking here.