A Golden Retriever named Zebby has become the star of a hilarious new Instagram video, in which he searches and gets excited over tennis balls. Instagram user and Zebby’s owner @zebbythegolden shared the video, showing how Zebby and his owners stop by their local tennis courts to check for lost tennis balls “that need a home.” What unfolds is both funny and predictable for anyone who knows a Golden Retriever.
Video shows Golden Retriever and humans hunting for lost tennis balls
The video begins with the Golden Retriever happily trotting beside the court in a raincoat, ready for adventure as he searches for tennis balls. The on‑screen caption reads, “Taking our dog to the tennis courts to see if there are any lost balls that need a home,” and seconds into the video, Zebby spots a distant ball on the other side of the fence, prompting the caption, “Of course, he wants this one.”
His owners walk him around to investigate, and Zebby zeroes in on a tennis ball wedged behind the fencing. The owner notes, “No clue how he found this one,” as the Golden Retriever stands on its hind legs and paws at the fence, clearly determined to have the ball as it waits for assistance from its owner.
Zebby’s human friend frees the tennis ball and hands it to him, and you can see the dog’s excitement peak in the video. But as you would expect from a Golden Retriever, the thrill fades as fast as it arrived, with the on-screen text noting, “He loved it…Then lost interest in 5 seconds.” Zebby turns his attention elsewhere as if he never even wanted the ball in the first place. His owner returns the ball to where they found it, writing, “Better luck next time, bud.”
Retrieving is common for Goldens; after all, it’s in their name. However, they often get more joy from the search than the prize itself, and the process, including the sniffing and the spotting, taps into their instincts, even if they get over it instantly, much like in Zebby’s case.
