A golden retriever who found a unique way of getting what she wants has captured hearts across the internet.
Molly the golden lives in Wales, in the U.K., with her owner, Elinor Parry, and Parry’s father, and the dog will do anything for a Custard Cream, a type of cookie popular in Britain.
While there is nothing toxic for dogs in Custard Creams, they are not exactly the healthiest snack—for humans or animals—so Molly gets the cookie only as a treat, or, more usually, a bribe. The golden has figured out that, if she absolutely refuses to do what she’s told, she will receive her favorite treat. And a video of Molly doing just that has now gone viral on TikTok.
“Molly is very lovable and loyal. However, she may be the most stubborn dog we’ve ever known,” Parry told Newsweek.
“She has a love for all biscuits,” she said, “and knows she only gets them if we bribe her, hence the intelligence to know how to get them on her own terms.”
Molly lays flat on her back and refuses to move, demanding a treat. Parry’s father resorted to dragging her toward the car, with the dog taking it all in her stride.
TikTok @elinorparry4004
Shared to Parry’s account @elinorparry4004 on August 9, the clip shows Molly lying on her back in the sunshine, wagging her tail and refusing to get up, even as Parry’s father tries coaxing her into the car.
He even takes her by the paws and drags her toward the vehicle, but Molly treats it all like a game, sticking her legs in air. And when they reach the car, she remains on her back, forcing the man to lift the full-grown dog into the back seat.
Parry wrote on the video: “POV [point of view]: You’re a stubborn golden retriever who knows full well if you refuse to get in the car, you get a custard cream.”
And Parry added in the caption: “This is Molly’s world, we’re just living in it. Does anyone else have a retriever who is more stubborn than anything or anyone known to man?”
The clip has racked up over 50,000 views, and commenters were quick to let Parry know she wasn’t alone, with one writing: “My husband uses custard creams as a bribe for our German shepherd.”
“My last goldie was exactly like this,” another posted, while a third added: “If I lay here on the pavement people come and tickly my belly.”
And one comment read: “Custard creams give them their colour.”
Parry told Newsweek that her father was bringing Molly to go to the beach, which is her favorite place. “And she knew she was going there, too, but still chose to be stubborn!”
Golden retrievers are known for their intelligence, as well as their playful approach to life, according to the American Kennel Club. They have long been one of the most popular breeds of dog in the United States, and in 2023 came third in the AKC’s popular breeds, behind the French bulldog and Labrador retriever.
Parry was delighted by the response to her video, as it was her first to reach “such a high number.” She said it was great “to share our Molly’s personality with so many people, and lots of other [golden retriever] owners mentioned theirs is the same, so it was nice to see.”
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.
