A family has welcomed a new puppy into their homes and introduced him to their older dog in the most adorable way possible.
Lincoln is a four-year-old golden retriever, who for years has been king of the castle in his owners’ home, with a comfortable bed, plenty of walks, treats, adventures and toys.
One of Lincoln’s favorite toys is a stuffed golden retriever called Maverick—but recently, his owners took the stuffie away.
This might sound unfair, but the reveal of why his owners took Maverick has led the family to go viral, after they posted a video to TikTok account @lifeoflincoln_ on November 15.
In the video, Lincoln’s owner takes Maverick the stuffie from Lincoln’s crate, and tells him to “say goodbye to Mav.” Lincoln sniffs at the box his owner has placed the stuffie into, and looks confused at why his owner is taking his favorite toy away.
But outside, Lincoln’s owner takes the stuffie from the box—and instead places a tiny, real-life golden retriever puppy inside.
They wrote in the caption: “POV: You get your dog a puppy and stuffed animal Maverick becomes real life Maverick!”
As the couple lifted the box back inside, Lincoln appeared to instantly know something was up, as he first fetched a toy, and then began sniffing the box again in earnest.
And when he saw the puppy, his tail began wagging furiously—and he fetched another toy to bring it over to the new arrival.
The real-life Maverick, meanwhile, was trying his best to climb out of the box to meet his new big brother.
TikTok users were in pieces, watching the video more than 1 million times, as one admitted: “I was balling my eyes out at Lincoln’s worried eyes as you took the stuffed Mav away!”
“This made me cry hella much,” another said, as another said Lincoln’s “reaction is so precious.”
Others pointed out how Lincoln quickly picked up his giraffe toy when his owners brought back the real-life version of his dog stuffie, one writing: “He brought you his stuffie giraffe…I think you know what to do!”
And while viewers loved the unique way they surprised Lincoln with the new puppy, many also pleaded: “Give him back his stuffed Maverick too, he can have both!”
Introducing an older dog to a new puppy in the home can take time and patience, depending on the ages and personalities of the animals involved.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) recommends that the first meeting should be in a neutral place rather than the established dog’s home, and the older dog should not be reprimanded if it growls at the puppy, as it is communicating boundaries.
All interactions between the two dogs should be supervised at first, and the older dog should be give breaks throughout the day, as a puppy’s play can be overwhelming. Both dogs should be rewarded for good behavior when playing or interacting.
Newsweek has contacted @lifeoflincoln via TikTok for comment on this story.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.