Rare Green Golden Retriever Puppy Shocks Internet

Footage of a rare green golden retriever puppy has received more than 400,000 views on TikTok—and people have questions.

The video, shared by breeder @soul_desire_goldens on March 25, shows golden retriever Malibu lying in a whelping box with her newborn puppies. The babies are nursing with the new mom, but one puppy is clearly different from the rest.

A male pup with a pistachio green hue can be seen atop the pile, with the owner zooming in to give viewers a closer look.

"Give us your litter theme ideas," the poster wrote, with the clip splitting opinions from the commenters.

Can a Golden Retriever Be Green?

They may sound made-up, but green golden retrievers are real, although the reason they exist is pretty gross.

The green coloring is caused by biliverdin, a chemical that creates bile, according to Rover.com. When a dog is pregnant, the hormones can cause changes in her bodily functions. This can include her poo, which can turn green because of extra biliverdin.

When puppies are born, they usually pass their "meconium"—aka their first poo—within 48 hours. Occasionally, they do this while still inside the womb. If the mom dog has high levels of biliverdin and the developing puppy passes the meconium early, this can lead to high levels of bile in the birth sac.

If the puppy has light-colored fur, the pigment of the bile can stain its coat, turning the animal green. This process isn't harmful to the dog, just extremely uncommon.

The phenomenon is not unique to golden retrievers and can occur with any breed if the pup has light-toned fur.

Do Green Puppies Stay Green?

Unfortunately, for those hoping to own a green retriever, the pigment fades over time. Eventually, the puppy will turn golden like its siblings.

But that doesn't make the dog any less remarkable. The odds of a green puppy are around 1 in 10,000, making them a very special pup indeed.

'He Could Be Luigi'

Many TikTokers suggested green-themed names for the puppy, with user Sophie proposing the name Clover because "it's rare and green."

"Obviously you have to name that one Kermit," said Nikki.

"Oscar," wrote Leigh Dean919, referencing the fuzzy green "grouch" in Sesame Street.

"Bruce Banner," commented Sarah Fowler, referring to the real name of the Hulk in the Marvel comics.

"What about a mario characters theme?" suggested Nakita Cugiletta. "He could be Luigi."

Although users agreed that the green puppy was adorable, many were disgusted by the poster's breeding practices.

After watching older videos on the poster's account, caitlun303 asked, "How many litters has she had? Looks like she had a litter 6 months ago and is scheduled for another in September."

St wrote: "Mom looks so tired." "She looks so sad, poor baby," agreed lucozayn.93.

"Three [litters] MAX is what a dog should !!!" wrote hollis. "So evil what they r doing to her," commented Robyn.

The poster shared an update on March 30, revealing that the green puppy had been named Shamrock. "He is starting to lighten up," she said. "One week old and perfect."

Newsweek reached out to @soul_desire_goldens for comment via email.

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