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Five sable German Shepherd puppies on a rug, tangled up in a cream ball of yarn and loose string. 14 / 38

It Started as One Ball of Twine. Now It's a Five-Puppy Group Project.

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It started as a single ball of yarn. Now it is a five-puppy group project. These sable German Shepherd puppies have pounced on a cream ball of twine in the middle of a living room rug, and loose strands are looped around paws, chins and ears in every direction. The pup in the center hugs the ball with both front paws like a prize, another rests his face right on top of it, and one in the back sticks out a tiny pink tongue mid-chew. A gray couch, a folded throw and a leafy houseplant sit behind them, along with a pair of slippers that may be next.

Funny as it looks, string and yarn are among the riskier things a puppy can play with. If swallowed, long strands can cause serious problems in a dog's digestive tract, which is why most vets recommend keeping thread, yarn, ribbon and dental floss well out of reach. Puppies explore with their mouths, and German Shepherds in particular are enthusiastic chewers during teething. Sturdy rope toys made for dogs, rubber chews and soft plush toys are safer outlets, but even those should be checked for fraying and replaced when worn. If you think your puppy has swallowed string, call your vet right away rather than waiting.

Supervised play with safe toys gives shepherd puppies exactly what they crave: something to grab, chase and wrestle over with their siblings.

This crew may need a little untangling, but nobody can say they did not commit to the game.

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