Browse ›
Five black and white Border Collie puppies crowd around a white ball of yarn with the strands wrapped around them. 24 / 31

Five Pups and One Ball of Yarn: Things Got Complicated Fast

AI imageborder collieblack and whiteyarn

A ball of white yarn has landed in the middle of five black and white Border Collie puppies, and chaos has broken out in the best possible way. Strands of yarn are looped around paws and noses, a couple of pups are tugging in opposite directions and a few are simply staring at the mess in wonder. The room behind them is a peaceful, slightly cluttered corner with a plant and a pile of laundry.

Yarn and string look like perfect puppy toys, but they can be dangerous. If a dog swallows string, it can cause serious problems inside the body, and it may need emergency veterinary care. If your pup ever gets hold of yarn, thread or ribbon, take it away gently and never pull a strand that is hanging from the mouth. Safe alternatives such as rope toys, rubber chews and soft plush toys are much better for tug games.

The urge to tug, chase and pounce is part of normal puppy development, and Border Collies are especially keen on anything that moves. Playing with toys together, rather than leaving a pup alone with something unsafe, helps keep playtime fun and gives you a chance to teach commands like drop it and leave it.

The puppies, of course, are unconcerned with safety tips. They have found something white, fluffy and unbelievably exciting, and the game is in full swing.

More from this collection

All 31 →
A blue merle Border Collie puppy chews a thick knotted rope toy on a living room floor with slippers behind him.A Tiny Pup Gripped His Rope Like It Was the Last One on EarthA red and white Border Collie puppy stands on hind legs with front paws on the top rail of a gray mesh playpen.A Puppy Eyed the Playpen Wall and Made His Move
A blue merle Border Collie puppy sits on the floor with a gray slipper in his mouth and an innocent expression.One Slipper Went Missing and the Suspect Isn't Hiding Very WellFour black and white Border Collie puppies wrestle and roll together on a green lawn in front of a wooden fence.Four Pups Rolled Across the Lawn Like a Single Fuzzy WaveA blue merle Border Collie puppy sits in a wicker basket filled with pink and white flowers and green sprigs.A Basket of Spring Flowers Had One Very Fluffy DeliveryTwo red and white Border Collie puppies sit side by side in a large terracotta flower pot indoors on a wooden floor.Two Pups Planted Themselves in a Terracotta Flower Pot