A short video showing a three-legged golden retriever puppy wriggling across the floor to greet a family member has melted the hearts of viewers online, with pet lovers praising the dog’s determination, sweetness and infectious joy.
The Instagram clip was shared by @ShadowAndTrip on March 7 and has since been viewed more than 70,000 times, drawing over 5,000 likes and a flood of affectionate comments from amused viewers. In the video, the puppy—named Trip—can be seen lying contentedly on the floor, gently wagging his tail.
When he spots what appears to be his owner’s child, described in the caption as the dog’s “brother,” Trip springs into action, slithering and shimmying across the floor to reach him for cuddles and play. The post was captioned simply: “Trip slithering to get his loves.”
In the comments, Trip’s owner explained how the puppy came to have three legs after one viewer asked about his condition.
“His little toes got crushed as a baby,” the owner wrote in response. “Later on, when we got to bring him home, he was showing signs of pain and infection, so we needed to amputate it.”
Despite his difficult start to life, Trip’s enthusiasm and earnest effort to reach the boy has resonated deeply with viewers on the platform.
“The cutest tripod I’ve ever seen,” one commenter wrote, while another summed up the general reaction: “Sweet baby. So cute how excited gets.”
Many commenters shared their own personal stories of similar canines in response.
One wrote: “I used to have a 3 ½ legged golden when I was kid, he was born like that (big litter of 13) but we kept him with mama and named him Nemo lol.”
Others focused on Trip’s charm, calling him “the absolute cutest,” “the handsomest,” and praising “how cute he is with his wagging tail.”
Golden retrievers are one of the most-popular canine breeds in the world, known for their friendly temperament, intelligence and strong bond with people. Originally bred as gundogs, they are widely praised for their gentle nature and eagerness to please, traits that have made them common family pets as well as service, therapy and assistance dogs.
Newsweek reached out to @ShadowAndTrip for more information via Instagram.
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.