WATERFALL’S Kady has defied the age-old saying that old dogs can’t be taught new tricks by fetching and delivering the Highway Mail to her owner each Wednesday.
This trick was entirely self-taught but needed slight fine tuning, which included dog biscuit bribery.
“Kady would hear the newspaper van come down the road, bark, bolt to the gate and wait for it to be delivered. She would gladly pick it up on her own and drop it off with me, but it would be well-chewed by the time it arrived,” laughed Des Head, her owner.
Each Wednesday during the delivery, Des would pet Kady and hand her a treat. She quickly put two and two together and immediately stopped chewing the newspaper, quite satisfied to exchange the papery chew toy for a far tastier dog biscuit.
“The delivery guys have become used to seeing her and if she isn’t at the gate they usually hoot once or twice and she goes running to collect the paper,” beamed a proud Des.
Little Kady’s story was not always filled with tasty treats, freshly delivered chew toys and a loving home.
She was found on the side of a Highway, alone and starving to death.
“She was just skin and bone when she was found,” said Des.
“We wanted a dog at the time and knew we wanted to adopt a rescue. When we heard about her we went to see her and had to have her in our family.”
Years later and she is a happy and healthy dog, quite content that her main exercise routine only occurs on a Wednesday when the paper is delivered.
“When the newspaper guys are finished with their rounds in our road, they hoot when they drive past our house. By this time I usually already have my copy of the Highway Mail in my hands,” he said.
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