A mom who thought her dog was being affectionate toward her baby came in for a surprise when she realized what the golden retriever was actually trying to do.
After welcoming her son Milo in September, Erica Carillon, 33, has loved seeing how her pet reacts to the new addition. The golden retriever, named Pepper, has been very loving toward her new sibling, and she often observes him from afar to avoid disturbing him.
However, as Carillon, of Ohio, cradled her son in her arms, she noticed Pepper coming up close and nudging his feet. She told Newsweek that she thought Pepper "was just trying to be loving" to Milo, and it was going to be a really sweet moment.
Unfortunately, Pepper had other plans, and her sneaky idea wasn't so sentimental after all. Indeed, the mischievous golden retriever wasn't trying to cuddle Milo, but rather, trying to pull the sock straight off his foot instead.
Carillon said: "When she first started nudging the baby, I pulled out my camera, hoping to preserve the seemingly sweet moment. But it wasn't until she pulled off his sock that I realized her true intentions.
"After grabbing the sock, she did what she is most known for in our house; she just sat and held onto her new prized possession."
This certainly isn't the first time that the sock thief has struck, as it has become a common occurrence in their home. While she never chews or tears them apart, Pepper can usually be found lying on her back with the sock held aloft between her paws, staring at it proudly.
Although Carillon didn't capture the adorable moment between Pepper and Milo that she was hoping for, she shared the hilarious video on TikTok nonetheless (@soberlifeoferica). The clip has delighted internet users, leading to more than 2.3 million views and over 341,000 likes on TikTok in a matter of days.
The online reaction is more than anything Carillon was expecting, but she has loved seeing how much joy and laughter her cheeky golden retriever could bring people.
"We were very shocked to see the video receive so much attention online," Carillon told Newsweek. "At first, we thought, how can something our golden retriever does daily be so entertaining to so many people?
"Pepper may be a sock thief, but she is part of our family and the best dog we could have chosen to grow up with our children. She's patiently waiting for Milo to grow old enough to play with and will often drop toys near him when he cries," she continued.
Internet users can't get enough of Pepper's playfulness, and lauded her antics, leading to more than 330 comments on the TikTok post so far. As it turns out, Pepper isn't the only four-legged sock thief, as plenty of parents could also relate.
One comment reads: "A master of manipulation."
Another TikTok user wrote: "The way she gently got the sock as not to hurt the baby. But she NEEDS that sock."
"Never let them know your next move," joked a third commenter.
A fourth TikTok user added: "It's amazing how gently she did that. A sock thief with a big heart."
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