Pet Cam Catches Naughty Golden Retriever Misbehaving: ‘Ratting Me Out’

Many owners like to have a pet cam at home so they can keep an eye on their four-legged friend even when they’re out. But one dog owner was left regretting her decision to check on her young pup when she saw what he was up to.

While Charlie, an 11-month-old golden retriever, was left at home unattended, he needed to keep himself occupied until his owner, Alyssa Teague, returned home. Playing with his own toys simply wouldn’t suffice, so Charlie’s goal was to cause mayhem in the house while no one was looking—or so he thought.

What Charlie doesn’t know is that Teague, who lives in Chicago, has a pet cam to monitor him throughout the day. She told Newsweek that she’s often amused by the “mischievous and curious” things he gets up to when on his own.

As she opened the app to check on her young golden, Teague may have expected (or hoped) to see Charlie snoozing in a comfy spot, but instead she was greeted by the sight of him standing on the coffee table. Well, he has to make the most of having the house all to himself before the humans return.

Teague said: “He was caught standing on the coffee table and pushing the books off it. I always knew that he was this cheeky, and he always manages to amuse me. Thankfully, we are able to leave him at home on his own because of the camera, so we can check in on what he’s doing.”

Like Teague, many owners will check on their pets while they are out, only to be horrified by what they see. Whether it’s chewing on a pair of sneakers that were left in the hallway, sleeping in your bed or even tearing apart the display cushions on the couch, we’ve all been there.

But hope is not lost. The American Kennel Club says training your pup is a huge part of improving its behavior and showing that good behavior leads to rewards. Teaching pets commands such as sit, stay and lie down through rewards and positive reinforcement can gradually ameliorate their overall behavior as well as provide mental stimulation.

Giving them plenty of exercise is also important because it lets them channel any extra energy into their walks and will curb bad behavior. If they’re tired out from a long walk or a run, they’re more likely to sleep while you’re out rather than raiding your wardrobe for some shoes to chew. But it’s necessary to be consistent because it can take a while to teach good behavior and help dogs settle into a healthy routine when they’re alone.

After seeing Charlie try to figure out how to read a book on his own (it didn’t seem to work), Teague knew she had to share the hilarious footage on his dedicated TikTok account (@golden_boy_charlie). The caption over the pet cam footage jokes that this is what he gets up to “when mom says be good while I’m gone.”

Teague told Newsweek: “His social media has been going great, and we love sharing the cute and funny things that Charlie gets up to.”

It’s safe to say that TikTok users love seeing his antics too. The clip has already been viewed more than 2,800 times and gained over 160 likes. If Charlie thought there was any way he could feign innocence, the pet cam showed otherwise. The hilarious caption alongside the video reads: “Furbo out here ratting me out.”

One commenter on the video even jokes: “Not a chance hooman!”

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.