Dogs like to have a job. So that dog senior Sadie can continue to fulfill her needs, her owner is taking a special path that is now stirring the net.
Like every morning, the dog Sadie is waiting for her master to open the door so she can bring in the newspaper, as she has all her life. She follows him every step of the way, vigorously wagging her tail. TikTok-User @catallocco videotaped this scene at her parents’ house and posted it online. Because what at first appears to be a normal morning is actually a heart-rending story. Why? This becomes apparent the moment Sadie is asked to descend the stairs to walk through the garage to the driveway.
Every day, a man throws a newspaper at the door of an almost blind dog
Because Sadie isn’t a pup anymore. At twelve and a half she is already considered a dog senior and is now almost completely blind. But that doesn’t stop her from slowly and deliberately approaching and descending the three steps. Her master encourages her. “You can do it,” “Slow down, Sadie,” and “Good girl,” he can be heard saying in the video. Sadie knows the way, even if she only recognizes outlines and finds the newspaper, packed in a narrow plastic bag.
The special thing is not only Sadie’s age. Actually, @catallocco’s parents canceled their newspaper about two years ago. A copy was only kept for Sadie because she always enjoyed fetching the newspaper so much. And put it in the driveway by my father every morning.
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Bitch has a task – and is happy
So the dog grandma collects the newspaper, and on the way back it seems for a moment as if she were going to run into the parked car. But Sadie knows her way and masters the steps back up – albeit with a little loving support from her master. Back in the kitchen, she drops the newspaper and, still wagging her tail, awaits her treat in the form of a fat cookie bone.
A cherished ritual – for both sides. And not nearly as difficult as driving to the sea to watch the sunset or as dangerous as fetching a stick.
Dog grandma fetches the newspaper: the network is blown away
The video clip has already garnered more than a million likes on TikTok and has been shared nearly 23,000 times. And in the comments, too, users are enthusiastic and touched. Even if some suspect that Sadie has long since seen through her family’s game and is just playing along so that her master isn’t sad. Here is a small selection of the comments:
- “Sadie must be thinking, Grandpa went crazy two years ago. He just keeps throwing out the same newspaper and I pretend I don’t know. Is he lucky that I love him.”
- “😭😭 She keeps doing her job”
- “Every single dog named Sadie looks the same and is 12 and a half years old”
- “Routines are so important, especially for older dogs. It’s so wonderful that he’s doing this for her. 🥺”
- “This is so cute. This job makes her so happy”
- “50 First Dates – The Dog Edition”
A Bavarian animal shelter also shows with its project that older dogs are not a burden, but an enrichment for everyone involved. And even if at some point the path comes to an end, people still draw a lot from the memories despite the grief. Like the TikToker woman who had to say goodbye to her mastiff but was able to take 13 nice things with her.
