Waking up is always a joy for this lucky golden doodle, who often starts the day with a staircase full of his favorite toys.
For the past two years, Sampson has woken up full of joy to see what her dog dad has done for her in the morning before going to work. Michele Miller, 41, explained that once a week, her husband Colin puts a bunch of Sampson’s toys on the stairs “so he starts his day with a nice surprise” as soon as he rolls out of bed .
Of course, he didn’t want it to be a predictable game, so Miller said Newsweek that he “changes it every time” to keep Sampson guessing. It’s usually a mix of socks, toys, balls, and sometimes, if he’s lucky, “his favorite frisbee.”
It’s become such an adorable ritual at their home in San Diego, California that Miller couldn’t resist sharing a TikTok video of Sampson waking up to his latest surprise. Since posting the clip on his dedicated social media account (@sampson_the_dood), it has garnered more than 206,900 views and 8,400 likes in a matter of days.
“My husband has been doing this since we started living in this house two years ago. If Sampson left the toys from last night, he might include one of those, or a sentimental stuffed toy like of his feet he chewed his oldest toy,” said Miller Newsweek.
“Sampson always looked at me as if to say, ‘is this for me?’ Then he immediately starts wagging his tail and sniffing each one before choosing the one he likes. It’s cute.”
Waking up to a house full of toys is not only exciting for any puppy, but it can also help stimulate their mind. PetMD suggests that destructive behavior can be resolved simply by giving a dog more mental exercise each day, as this can improve their mental health, cognitive function, reduce the hyperactivity, and strengthen our relationship with them.
Rotating their toys is a great way to keep a dog engaged and prevent them from getting bored with the same old games every day. But if that doesn’t seem to work, owners are also encouraged to try games like hide and seek, hiding a toy and telling them to find it, changing your daily walk route, and even frozen foods (like carrots) to keep them occupied longer.
When Sampson wakes up to “the most delicious surprise” on the stairs, he knows he’s in for a fun-filled day before it even begins. After sharing the video on TikTok, Miller loved seeing the responses from so many dog owners, and she hopes more people might consider giving their pup surprises.
He continued: “You don’t have to have a ladder to surprise your dog like this. You can leave toys by the front door, or a trail around your house. Everyone thinks it’s just the cutest that idea and that Colin and Sampson have such a sweet bond. Some of their dog dads share it hoping they will do the same.”
In the comments on the viral post, there was much praise for the novel idea, with one person commenting: “That’s so sweet and thoughtful.”
Another TikTok user responded: “That’s a great idea! My puppy always has stuff in his mouth when he sees me.”
But not everyone thinks it can work for them, as one person joked: “My dog will ignore all the toys and steal the slippers underneath.”
Do you have funny and adorable videos or photos of your pet that you want to share? Send them to [email protected] along with a few details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is dedicated to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is dedicated to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.