The internet is obsessed with a tiny golden retriever puppy with some unusual looks.
Bernardo the golden, affectionately called Bernie by his owners, looks just like any other retriever puppy: small, fluffy, and with the silky golden fur the breed is named for.
However, he also has a rare mutation, known as a somatic mutation, which gives him something else: black markings.
Somatic mutations are genetic changes occurring in body cells after the embryo starts forming. Unlike germline mutations—which are present in reproductive cells and can be passed to offspring—somatic mutations only impact the individual dog and are not inherited by future generations.
Bernie has black spots on his ear, leg and tail, along with an adorable black stripe on his back. It is not hereditary, and neither of his parents had the markings, but it makes Bernie stand out as totally unusual.
His owner, who did not share their name but is 25 and lives in Mexico, said that when they saw Bernie’s photograph “we were wowed with his markings.”
“My husband and I fell in love and got him,” she said, adding that they have a second retriever in their home who they affectionately referred to as Bernie’s “older brother.”
In a video shared to his dedicated TikTok account, @berniethegoldenr on March 2, his owner shared information about the mutation—along with plenty of adorable photos of Bernie.
She explained the mutation can’t be bred for, and happens naturally in puppies, adding from Bernie’s point of view: “Doesn’t affect my health. Just makes me unique.”
Bernie’s owner shared the “quick facts about my spots” after getting multiple questions from curious followers, and said she was “just clearing things up.”
TikTok users fell in love with Bernie and his unusual looks, watching the explainer video more than 750,000 times and awarding it more than 100,000 likes.
Commenters flocked to the video, some comparing Bernie with the Pokémon Growlithe, or marble cake, thanks to his spots and stripes.
“That’s a chocolate chip cookie,” one wrote, as another called him “very stylish,” and one wrote: “So rare but so cool!”
Others promised to keep following Bernie’s journey through life, one writing that they “can’t wait to watch him grow.”
Another agreed: “I’m excited what they’ll look like in their chunky big boy phase, make sure your baby knows every day what a beautiful and loved thing he is!”
And as one user summed it up: “He is the cutest puppy ever! And those spots make him so unique and even more adorable!”
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.