Communication and compromise are key ingredients for a harmonious relationship. And Reddit user Anony-Depressy found a really creative way to remind his boyfriend that he was getting tired of the man’s messy tendencies.

Armed with a mischievous plan, he acquired cloth dog toys resembling his partner’s socks and trained their canine companions to engage in spirited games of tug of war.

Thus, the stage was set. Continue scrolling to read Anony-Depressy’s post from r/pettyrevenge where he describes how this playful act unfolded.

Image credits: Zinkevych_D (not the actual photo)

Image credits: jill, jellidonut… whatever (not the actual photo)

After some people expressed their concerns, the original poster (OP) reassured them that the dogs are okay

Image credits: u/Anony-Depressy

We got in touch with Anony-Depressy and he was kind enough to have a little chat with us about the whole situation.

First of all, the Redditor highlighted that his boyfriend has been really working on his habits. “When we first started dating, he used to (to name a few); leave dishes in the sink until there were flies, leave fast food trash on the dining room table saying he’d ‘get it later’ (but never did), and would wear his underwear for multiple days in a row (to name a few). I feel like we’ve made strides towards reaching that middle ground of cleanliness,” he told Bored Panda.

Image credits: RODNAE Productions (not the actual photo)

So it’s obvious that the couple talks about each other’s feelings and strive to build a relationship that both of them can cherish.

However, keeping the wardrobe tidy turned out to be a challenge. “I have tried laundry baskets (4 total: one by the front door, one in the living room, one by the bathroom, and one in our bedroom), not picking up after him (but then the couch started to smell and retain the odor), talk numerous times about it (he’d stop doing it for a week, then ultimately start again), tried hiding/throwing away the socks (he’d just buy more), and even stuffing the dirty socks back into his clean sock drawer (it did not phase him),” Anony-Depressy recalled the things he tried before teaming up with the dogs.

Luckily, the canines figured out his plan quite fast. “They were already going after his socks in the couch, so it honestly was pattern recognition for them to go after them. It only took about a week [to train them].”

However, after reading his story, Anony-Depressy noticed that a lot of people assumed this was an overnight decision and there was no prior thought or attempt at communication. “I had verbalized many times about how visitors have complained about the smell, how many times I had to shampoo the couch/wash the cushions, and how I would try to watch TV and smell sweaty feet,” he said. “I agree it was petty, but I actively ordered a new pair of socks as soon as I saw them start tearing it up (they were a $12 pair I had bought him at the beginning of our relationship).”

And it worked! “He came down later that night. The first thing he did was look at me and start cackling and said, ‘Okay, I get it now.'”

The Redditor isn’t exactly sure why his boyfriend grew up with such a different notion of cleanliness. At first, he wondered that it might have something to do with the way the man was raised. “His mom was a stay-at-home mom and I had originally thought that she essentially baby’d him his entire life.”

But after she heard what happened, she really liked the “genius” scheme, so now Anony-Depressy believes it’s just because “he’s lazy as hell.”

Image credits:  nd3000 (not the actual photo)

The two men and their disagreements aren’t anything extraordinary. Quite the contrary, actually. A survey of more than 2,000 adults by online takeaway company Just Eat found that couples fight more over who cleans the house, does the cooking, and washes up than anything else except money.

Nearly two-thirds admitted they argue over chores at least once a week, and one in five people know a couple who row regularly or have broken up over the issue.

By creatively involving their furry companions, Anony-Depressy managed to capture his partner’s attention and initiate a positive change. Ultimately, that’s what counts!

He also gave a bit more information in the comments

And most folks were really amused by his story

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