Mischievous Golden Retriever's Caught 'Digging to China' in Hilarious Clip

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A golden retriever has left the internet in stitches after helping his owner with some gardening.

In a now-viral TikTok video, which can be seen here, Quinn the Golden Retriever is filmed diligently digging a deep hole in the garden.

The video is captioned: "4 hours of hard work while mom is 10 feet away working in her shop, Quinn apparently digging to china to get to the bottom of this surveillance balloon nonsense".

Dog
Stock image of a Labrador dog digging a hole in the public park. A golden retriever delighted audiences on TikTok after helping his owner out with some gardening. Getty Images

The caption comically references the recent Chinese balloon scandal, where a suspected spy balloon from Beijing was spotted flying over the U.S. before being shot down.

Since being posted to the social media platform by @KatiePilcher on February 8, the video has been viewed over five million times.

The clip has received over 13,500 comments to date, with most commenters poking fun at the amusing situation.

The account run by Katie Pilcher features plenty of posts of Quinn the Retriever getting involved with other aspects of daily life.

@katiepilcher

4 hours of hard work while mom is 10 feet away working in her shop… ???‍♀️ quinn apparently digging to china to get to the bottom of this surveillance balloon nonsense… ??? #digging#tunnel#privateinvestigator#hardwork#impressive#goldenretriever#fyp

♬ Hard Work - U.S. Drill Sergeant Field Recordings

Why Do Dogs Dig—And What Can You Do About It?

Dogs enjoy doing many things that are in tune with their natural behaviors, and one of those things is to dig.

According to The Humane Society, dogs frequently dig just for their own entertainment when they're feeling bored.

"Dogs may dig for entertainment when they learn that roots and soil 'play back.' Your dog may be digging for entertainment if they are left alone in the yard for long periods of time without the company of their human family," the animal welfare non-profit writes.

This urge can quickly become destructive if you have a neatly curated lawn in your backyard. To stop your pup from excessively digging up your flowerbeds, The Humane Society advises that owners learn how to burn off their pups' steam in other ways.

The non-profit argues that pet owners should walk their dogs at least twice a day.

"A lack of exercise is a leading cause of behavioral problems," The Humane Society writes.

What Do the Comments Say?

"Not him sitting on the pile like 'no I won't let you ruin my hard work'," one user jokingly wrote under the post.

"Impressive," another user added.

"Doggo might have killed a neighbor or something. don't ask questions, just help dig," a different TikTok user wrote.

Another user commented: "The way he look around that chair like dang I got caught".

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.

About the writer

Melissa Fleur Afshar is a Newsweek reporter based in London, United Kingdom.

Her current focus is on trending life stories and human-interest features on a variety of topics ranging from relationships, pets, and personal finances to health, work, travel, and family dynamics. She has covered current affairs, social issues, and lifestyle stories extensively.

Melissa joined Newsweek in 2023 from Global's LBC and had previously worked at financial news publication WatersTechnology, tmrw Magazine, The Times and The Sunday Times, Greater London-based radio broadcaster Insanity Radio, and alongside other journalists or producers for research purposes. Since joining Newsweek, Melissa has been especially focused on covering under-reported women's health and social issues, and has spent a large part of her time researching the physical and mental impact of both the contraceptive pill and abusive relationships.

Prior to that, Melissa had been specialized in reporting on financial technology and data news, political news, and current affairs. She has covered data management news from industry giants like Bloomberg and Symphony, alongside the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the U.K economy's 2022-pound sterling crash, multiple National Health Service (NHS) strikes, and the Mahsa Amini protests in Iran.

A show that she produced and presented at the Greater London-based community radio station, Insanity Radio, was awarded 'Best Topical News Show' and the runner up award for 'Best New Radio Show' on the network.

She is a graduate in MA History from Royal Holloway, University of London.

Languages: English, Persian.

You can get in touch with Melissa by emailing m.afshar@newsweek.com.

You can follow her on X or Instagram at @melissafleura.


Melissa Fleur Afshar is a Newsweek reporter based in London, United Kingdom.

Her current focus is on trending life stories and ... Read more