pets

You don't get between a kid and their favorite blankie, and you don't get between a dog and their favorite toy. Those are the rules.

The first thing you need to know about Charlie the golden retriever is that he loves his favorite toy, Mr. Quackers. Mr. Quackers is Charlie's stuffed yellow duck. At least, he's mostly yellow. He's faded a bit with time, but that's OK. Charlie carries him around everywhere, he loves him so. Anyone who's had a dog with a favorite stuffy knows that it's just like a child with a favorite stuffy. As long as the stuffy is there, all is well. If stuffy goes missing, all hell breaks loose.

Nobody take the stuffy away. Nobody lose the stuffy. Nobody mess with the stuffy. Where they go, their stuffy goes. Where Charlie goes, Mr. Quackers goes. That's just the way it is. And beyond that.. just look at them! There isn't a cuter pair anywhere on the planet, that's for sure.

There are many reasons dogs become so attached to their joys. It gives them mental stimulation and a release for pent up energy. It can also satisfy the need to hunt and retrieve in some breeds of dogs. And some female dogs will nurture or guard a toy as part of their maternal instincts.

Dogs can also provide comfort, again not unlike a child's favorite stuffed animal or blanket. They can nuzzle them, suck on them, or carry them around to reduce anxiety. It's especially common behavior in dogs that come from shelters or have a background in neglect, but almost all pups like to play with toys.

Watch what happens when Charlie's buddy Buddy tries to mess with Mr. Quackers.

Charlie gets just a little bit possessive, and even cops a bit of an attitude. It's not that he minds sharing, just not Mr. Quackers. The attachment is very real.

Charlie's love for Mr. Quackers is unrivaled, which is why his owner decided to pull an incredible pet prank and dress up as Mr. Quackers himself.

The things we do for our dogs, indeed. And when Charlie got to meet the life-sized Mr. Quackers? So. Much. Joy. Charlie practically wagged his tail right off his body. And he never let go of the original Mr. Quackers the whole time—at least on TikTok.

It's tough to precisely unpack why Charlie is so attached to Mr. Quackers but it might be directly connected to his love for his human companion.

As Pride Bites explains: "It’s possible that the toy your pup likes carries your scent or that of the members of the family. Whenever they keep it close, your dog may feel a sense of connection with you. It can be one of the reasons your dog is so attached to the custom dog toy you bought on a whim, as it makes them feel safer during stressful situations such as when there’s a thunderstorm. Holding onto their toy can be your pup’s way of overcoming distress or reinforcing a positive emotion."

Not to overly psychoanalyze a cute social media video, but it's possible that in a very real sense, when Charlie's owner puts on the suit he's both literally and figuratively manifesting not only a life-sized Mr. Quackers but amplifying Charlie's own attachment to his human companion.

The extended video on YouTube shows Charlie dropping Mr. Quackers and trying to get a hold of Huge Mr. Quackers by the neck. Not in an aggressive way—more like in a "Hey, lemme carry you around like I do Mr. Quackers!" kind of way.

And then the slow discovery that Huge Mr. Quackers smells an awful lot like his hooman … just too precious.

After meeting his hero in the flesh, Charlie's love for Mr. Quackers has not faded one bit. On the contrary, his owners have decided to get a few backups, just in case. After all, Charlie is becoming an old man, having just recently celebrated his 8th birthday.

Animals can bring such joy to our lives, especially when we take the time to play with them. Thanks, Charlie's parents, for sharing this moment of adorable delight with us all. Follow more of Charlie and Mr. Quackers' adventures on TikTok and YouTube.

This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated.