Jack the Trash Collector

One man's trash is my dog's treasure. He can spot a lost hunter's cap or a kid's glove, a pop can or stray styrofoam cup within seconds of heading out on our walk. I'm thinking I should carry a trash bag with me from now on so that Jack can help out with the village cleanup project.

On a recent walk he collected a fallen tree branch about 6 feet long and paraded through town with it. Unfortunately, I didn't have a camera with me that day. Jack pranced across the intersection with his prize making a clean sweep of the sidewalk and one lane of "traffic." OK the traffic in our tiny village only consisted of one elderly couple in a sedan who chuckled while they waited for us to clear the way, but for Jack it was as exciting as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

We do have to be careful with his trash collecting habits, though. He is so fast and can get himself into trouble if he eats the wrong thing. Last week he gave us a real scare when he suddenly started vomiting and trembling. No one had seen him eat or drink anything suspicious, but all it takes is one quick drink from the wrong puddle. He's fine, but it was a reminder that even here in the relatively pristine Upper Peninsula a speedy hound can get into trouble all too quickly.