Golden Retriever Who Loves Starbucks' 'Pup Cups' Wins Pet of the Week

This week we've enjoyed a variety of fun and interesting pet stories, from a dog that was adopted after more than 700 days in a shelter to a pup that photobombed a dance routine in a hilarious TikTok video.

We've also received gorgeous pictures, stories and videos from our readers about their animal companions, and as always, we have been working to crown our Newsweek Pet of the Week.

Remember, if you think your pet could be the Newsweek Pet of the Week scroll to the end of this article to find out how to get involved.

Winner

Golden Retriever Riley
This week's Pet of the Week is Golden Retriever Riley who lives on Long Island in West Islip with his owner Marikate Cavanagh. Marikate Cavanagh

This week our Pet of the Week is golden retriever Riley, who lives on Long Island in West Islip.

Owner Marikate Cavanagh adopted one-year-old Riley in March. Because of what she calls his "exuberant personality," his first home hadn't worked out.

The golden retriever was officially recognized as a breed by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1925 and ranks at No. 3 on the list of the most popular dog breeds in the U.S.

These medium-sized dogs with luxurious golden coats are known for their friendly, intelligent personalities and good manner. While they have a reputation for being great family pets, they are still energetic gundogs that require plenty of playtime and walking.

But much to Cavanagh's delight, Riley became her best friend instead.

"He loves playing with other dogs, playing fetch, and getting a 'pup cup' at Starbucks," Cavanagh told Newsweek. "My favorite thing to do with Riley is to take him for a ride in my jeep with the top down."

Finalists

1 of 3

This week's first runner-up for Pet of the Week is double act Henry and Tico.

Tom Crusie shared pictures of his daughter's German shepherd Henry and his dog Tico. He told Newsweek: "Henry is about 11 months old. He was owned by three different people over the first 6 months of his life and was tied to a chain outside 24/7. He then was in a shelter and my daughter Colleen rescued him about four months ago."

"Henry is the sweetest and most gentle dog in the world," he said. "His favorite thing is to follow Colleen around everywhere and he sits next to her and lays his head on her lap and loves the attention and love of being in a safe and loving home."

Six-year-old Tico has spent some time adjusting to a new canine addition to the family, but happily the pair are now best buddies.

Our next finalist this week is chihuahua Minnie. Living in Greensboro, North Carolina, with owner Sandy Harris, she describes Minnie as a "rock star."

"She looks after my special needs grandson," Harris told Newsweek. "She woke me up when Damien was having a bad seizure—she lets me know when something is wrong with him."

Minnie loves going to the park and hanging out with Damien, and Harris says she has bought so much joy to their lives.

Last, but definitely not least, is Albus the cat. Once a stray, he first started visiting now-owner Judith Conly after she put out a food bowl in her condominium.

"Over a period of about six months I worked on getting him used to my presence," Conly told Newsweek. "At about the same time as he started allowing me to pet him, the condo board decided that they wanted him gone, so they began setting humane traps. Eventually, they caught a possum, but by then I'd scooped Albus up and brought him inside."

Eleven years later, Albus is about to turn thirteen years old and has lived with Conly ever since.

"He comes as a very sweet package, and every day he reminds me how glad I am to have kept him from going to the Humane Society," she said. "It is also extremely gratifying to be able to watch the ASPCA fundraising commercials and know that I personally rescued a cat who might not have survived without me."

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.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Alice Gibbs is a Newsweek Senior Internet Trends & Culture Reporter based in the U.K. For the last two years ... Read more

To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.

Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go