Our dog is a great janitor

[Winger Ed.]

Years ago, when we lived in the city, and newman was young, he'd pick up, bring inside, and chew pecans
the fell into the yard from trees over the fence. Stepping on the shell pieces was like walking on broken glass.

So we set a bowl of a different brand of dog food on the patio table. When we saw him with a pecan, we'd
call him over and trade it with him for a dog food pellet.
Pretty soon, he'd picked up and traded in every single one in the yard, and seemed so proud for doing it.

After we ran out of pecans, we'd 'accidently' drop a piece of paper or kleenex. He'd grab it and come trade it in.
Nine years later,,,,, he is always searching and keeping an eye out for any little piece of paper or cellophane wrapper.

I've since switched him over to baked doggie crackers I make that are just flour, peanut butter, water,
and a bump of veg. oil. I roll 'em out on a cookie sheet, then cut them to about the size of a postage stamp.

He was out in the garage with me today, and I thought it was pretty clean. I try to keep little bits of trash picked up
so he won't get fattened up by bringing stuff to trade in for a dog treat. .....
He only found and traded in two things this trip. A ear plug, and little piece of plastic wrapper from something.

[elmacgyver0]

My dog is an interior decorator, she empties waste baskets and decorates the floor with toilet paper tubes and what have you.

[farmerjim]

That is a smart dog.

[huntinlever]

Hahaha - what an awesome pup, Ed. Years ago we came home to our two late beloved littermate/brother labs looking sheepish as hell. Walked in to know why - sort of the opposite of Newman....paper trail all the way to the refrigerator, where we'd lined up some beautiful Porterhouse and cheeses. They'd opened the fridge and scarfed the steaks and cheese. But left the evidence by way of paper all over the place. Had to put a baby strap on that fridge.

[Winger Ed.]

That is a smart dog.

If he ever found out he wasn't a person, I think it'd really hurt his feelings too.

[huntinlever]

If he ever found out he wasn't a person, I think it'd really hurt his feelings too.

I figure they think if we ever found out we're not just weird dogs who walk on our back legs and refuse to speak properly, we'd be hurt.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

I was just telling my wife what I thought made a good dog. At the top of the list was “Eager to please” (well, the snacks didn’t hurt!).

[slim1836]

Good story, now if he can find all those primers you dropped.....

Slim

[jonp]

About the only thing our Valley Bulldog Ralph retrieved was an entire road killed deer onto our front porch. How a 75lb dog managed to drag a deer that weighed more than her down the road and up onto the porch is a mystery but she was pretty proud of it. We gave her a treat of tuna fish and I took it down the road a few miles to drop it off.

[Winger Ed.]

About the only thing our Valley Bulldog Ralph retrieved was an entire road killed deer onto our front porch..

Now that's mean.
All that work to bring it home. She even saved you the best parts, and you just threw it away.

[elmacgyver0]

Good story, now if he can find all those primers you dropped.....

Slim

Probably did, but they would be scattered about the backyard.

[hwilliam01]

I've adopted my dogs philosophy. When I encounter something new, I look at it and if I can't eat it, play with it, puck it...then i just piss on it and walk away. Been much happier since.

[pworley1]

We had a neighbor once who had a boxer that would bring home shrubbery from around the subdivision.

[slim1836]

We've had many dogs that rolled around in some smelly stuff outside and brought that aroma indoors on their fur for you to pet. God love em.

Slim

[Winger Ed.]

We've had many dogs that rolled around in some smelly stuff outside and brought that aroma indoors on their fur for you to pet.

My vote is for fresh possum poop as being the worst.
I think it even beats out skunk spray.

Newman has brought it in twice.
Both times, I'll look at him,,,,, he'll look at me with that expression of,
"Pop,,, I know I did something bad..... but look how cute I am".

[MrWolf]

Our boys are spoiled rotten and I wouldn't have it any other way.

[lightman]

Thats a cool story Ed!

[Electrod47]

Amazing pooch Ed. The only thing my dog Murphy brought home was a skunk he killed last summer. That was a gift that kept on giving for sometime!!~!

[Winger Ed.]

Thanks every body. It's great to hear dog stories. I can't imagine our life without one or two in the household.

Something else I noticed early on with newman is he's always had a sense of ownership.
He's incredibly destructive of his chew toys. But has never chewed up anything unless you give it to him first.
He never chewed up a shoe, a table leg, nothing--- unless he was sure it was his.

With all the other puppies we've had-- you just expect some furniture to have teeth marks, lose a shoe or belt, an extension cord,
even a garden hose or two, but not with him.

He also has a connection between his bark machinery and his tail. I've never seen him bark when he wasn't wagging his tail too.

[jonp]

My grandfather went ice fishing with a guy who had a german shepherd, i think that was the story. Anyways, the dog would run over to neighboring holes, pick up the perch off the ice and bring them over to them. They got quite a nice pile and everyone got a big laugh out of it.