The first night our senior rescue dog came along, our resident pup had a lot of opinions. Being the only dog child with three cats meant she had the run of the house and loved every second of it. With the newbie in her space, taking up our attention, and being in her way, things took a while to fully settle before getting to where we are now.
Beau, the Golden Retriever, went through the same string of emotions as my dog with the arrival of little brother Wylder. From initial excitement to “when the heck is he leaving,” sweet Beau tries his best to adjust, but with the pup “spending the night,” he’d like a word with Mom and Dad.
A Golden Retriever with a puppy in the grass.Image via Unsplash
(Image via Unsplash)
I can honestly relate to Beau on so many levels. When my mom brought my little brother home from the hospital, I was NOT having it! It seems the role of the eldest is universal, so I feel ya, buddy!
It’s hard to say what’s going through the resident Golden Retriever’s mind here, but based on the cautious way he’s sniffing the barrier, he’s not sure, either. All he knows is, the tiny playmate he had fun with earlier isn’t leaving, so naturally, panic is the only acceptable (and too relatable) reaction!
Related: Golden Retriever Reuniting With Mom Is the Picture of True Love
Fans Are Having a Ball With Beau’s Reaction
As one fan commented, “Large potato investigates eppy potato,” and that pretty much nails it! Mom responded, “I don’t think he passed the sniff test,” and that looks like what Beau’s thinking here.
Others chimed in to guess what big brother might say if he could talk, and they’re too funny.
“He’s like, ‘You better wake up, you’re gonna miss your bus!'” one fan joked.
“Ummmmm, whatcha doing!? Time for you to go,” another wrote.
“Hey, wake up, I’ll call you an Uber,” another added.
Unfortunately for Beau, Wylder isn’t going anywhere, so he’s going to have to take a few deep breaths. Maybe in time, he’ll decide having a little sibling isn’t so bad. It’s taken my dogs three years (!) to finally accept the new situation (barely), so here’s hoping Beau and Wylder have a much smoother transition!
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This story was originally published by Parade Pets on Feb 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add Parade Pets as a Preferred Source by clicking here.