If you live with more than one dog, you know that toy sharing is rarely as simple as it sounds. Even with a basket full of options, there always seems to be one toy that’s suddenly more desirable than the rest. That familiar dynamic plays out in a funny video where a Golden Retriever quietly decides that her sister’s ball is the only one worth having.
This video proves Golden Retriever is the ultimate ball thief
Ellie and Emma, the internet-famous Golden Retriever sisters, are back in the spotlight thanks to a short video that perfectly captures Emma’s most notorious habit. Shared on the @elliegoldenlife account, the clip shows how Emma has unofficially earned the title of “ball thief” in their home, much to her older sister Ellie’s quiet frustration.
The video opens with on-screen text reading, “POV your dog is a ball thief,” setting the stage for what unfolds next. Emma is seen walking down the stairs when she notices Ellie fast asleep, carefully guarding a ball between her front paws. Rather than rushing in, Emma takes a moment to assess the situation, clearly aware that timing is everything.
Her first move is cautious. Emma gently paws at Ellie’s face, testing whether her sister is truly asleep or just pretending. When Ellie doesn’t react, Emma shifts tactics by lowering her head and attempting to pull the ball free. It doesn’t come easily. She circles around, pauses, and repositions herself several times, plotting the best way to reclaim the prized toy.
After a few failed attempts, Emma finally succeeds, yanking the ball loose and confidently walking away with it clenched in her mouth. Only then does Ellie stir, slowly realizing that something she had been guarding so closely is suddenly gone. The delayed reaction makes the moment even funnier, as Ellie looks on, seemingly resigned to what just happened.
In the caption, their dad explains that this scenario plays out almost daily. Ellie regularly naps with a ball, but when Emma spots it, she becomes fixated on taking that exact one, even though there are more than a hundred other balls scattered throughout the house.
