Golden Retrievers experience the world nose first, and places filled with interesting smells are basically paradises for them, thanks to their sense of smell. If you want to give them a fun day full of enrichment, take them to places where they can smell new things—they’re happy to be on an important sensory mission.
We see that play out in a video of a Golden Retriever who’s invited to go to a candle store, and while there, he carefully inspects candles one by one, sniffing with the focus of a professional critic. His thoughtful pauses and clear preferences make it feel like he’s rating each scent internally. It’s wholesome, funny, and oddly impressive. Take a look!
On February 18, TikToker @wally.meets.world shared a video of Wally, a stunning and charming Golden Retriever, heading to the store with his family. But they kind of do things their own way.
Instead of Wally walking with his family into the store with his lead, Wally’s sitting in the shopping cart, where you might typically see a human toddler.
Wally is out of the cart when his mom tries to find the best candle scent for their home, and the pup really wants to go smell all the options. He’s eager to get right to the job. So, each time his mom takes a candle off the shelf, opens the lid, and does a quick sniff herself, Wally is right there, tapping and choosing the best-smelling options, at least according to his nose.
Related: Golden Retriever Puppy Gives Three Kisses Before Dinner, but He’s Not Happy It’s Late
In the comments, hundreds of people shared their thoughts on Wally going out into the world to help his humans find the best candles for their house.
One person wrote, “I love that Marshalls allows me to take my Golden when I’m running errands if it’s super cold out or rainy, we can always walk around Marshalls, TJ Maxx, or The Home Store.”
Another shared, “Be very careful! He is in danger of becoming a chandler and producing his own line of dog-specific scented candles.”
Someone else added, “I’ve never tested my Pyrenees, but my parents’ dog is scared of the smell of candles.”
Other comments include, “Why is it cute when he licks candles, and it’s weird if I were to do it?” “Taste test, not sniff test,” “He wants to eat all of them,” “But like how’d you get him into the cart?” “He’s the sweetest lover in that shopping cart,” and “Wally is just so loved by all, how can you not love this puppy dog?”
🐶SIGN UP to get “pawsitivity” delivered right to your inbox with inspiring & entertaining stories about our furry & feathered friends🐾🐾
Golden Retrievers Have a Good Sense of Smell
Wally looks like he had a great time going shopping with his mom and used his very good sense of smell to pretend he’s a scent sommelier and an expert on which candles smell the best. And his sense of smell is very much a typical trait in Golden Retrievers.
According to Meadow Brook Goldens, Golden Retrievers are well known for their exceptional scent detection abilities. This comes from their genetics and ancestry. As part of the sporting group, they’ve been helpful to people, using their sense of smell for a range of applications, including detecting drugs, explosives, human remains, and more.
It makes them great service and emotional support dogs, and apparently, it helps people choose the right candle scent for their homes.
This story was originally published by Parade Pets on Feb 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add Parade Pets as a Preferred Source by clicking here.