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A brown and tan Golden Retriever puppy gripping a gray sock held by a person out of frame, in a living room 7 / 30

A Sock, a Puppy, and a Very Serious Game of Tug

AI imagegolden retrieverpuppytug of war

Somebody is holding one end of a gray sock, and a very determined puppy has the other. Seated on a patterned rug, the little chocolate-and-tan pup clamps his jaws around the fabric and looks up with wide, bright eyes that say he has absolutely no plans to let go. His ears flop forward, his front paws are planted, and behind him a laundry basket, a plant, and a pair of sneakers complete a very lived-in living room.

Tug of war is a classic puppy game, and it is fine when played with a few rules. Let the puppy pull while you keep the game gentle, and pause now and then so he learns to release the toy on a cue like "drop it." Use a proper tug toy instead of clothing when you can, because socks teach puppies that laundry is fair game, and swallowed fabric can be dangerous. If a puppy ever swallows a sock, call your vet promptly.

Retriever breeds were developed to carry things in their mouths, so a Golden pup often has a natural urge to grab, hold, and bring items to people. Redirecting that instinct to safe toys is part of good training, and it turns a sock thief into a happy fetch partner.

We'll call him Maple, and he's clearly winning this match. The sock may not survive, but the spirit certainly will.

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