By Amanda Thomason April 22, 2022 at 5:02pm
When most people bring a new purebred pup into the family, they end up splashing the cash. The price of the puppy, the cost of new supplies, vet care, food and the inevitable chewing damage add up.
But one puppy in Blackpool, England, has turned those tables, stunning his new owners and people everywhere with his impressive talent for finding gold.
Ollie is an adorable puppy, but he comes from a line of dogs that are serious about their work: He’s a Lagotto Romagnolo, an Italian breed known for its truffle-hunting abilities.
“Despite their plush-toy looks, Lagotti are durable workers of excellent nose who root out truffles, a dainty and pricey delicacy,” the breed description on the American Kennel Club‘s website states.
Adam Clark, 51, had bought the dog as a surprise for his daughter, Alicia, 9, according to People.
And it was during their first walk outside recently that Ollie proved he was more than just a cute bundle of fluff.
“When we got him, we thought he seemed special,” Clark told SWNS, per People. “Alicia was over the moon, and we couldn’t wait to take him out for his first walk.
“We’d literally been walking for around 10 minutes when Ollie suddenly stopped and started frantically digging away at the soil — that’s when he uncovered the pile of gold pieces.”
Ollie had found 15 gold coins that likely date to the 19th century. Clark took the find to the local Chards Coin and Bullion Dealer and found out that the stash was worth about $8,000.
Of course, because Ollie found the treasure at such a young age, a precedent has been set, and Clark said he believes he might have just struck gold with the newest addition to the family.
“The treasure is one thing, but the fact is, I’ve bought myself my very own gold hunter, and I cannot wait to take him out again,” Clark said.
“He is obviously a very special pup, and I’m thrilled with what he brings to the table — quite literally!”
Amanda holds an MA in Rhetoric and TESOL from Cal Poly Pomona. After teaching composition and logic for several years, she’s strayed into writing full-time and especially enjoys animal-related topics.
As of January 2019, Amanda has written over 1,000 stories for The Western Journal but doesn’t really know how. Graduating from California State Polytechnic University with a MA in Rhetoric/Composition and TESOL, she wrote her thesis about metacognitive development and the skill transfer between reading and writing in freshman students.
She has a slew of interests that keep her busy, including trying out new recipes, enjoying nature, discussing ridiculous topics, reading, drawing, people watching, developing curriculum, and writing bios. Sometimes she has red hair, sometimes she has brown hair, sometimes she’s had teal hair.
With a book on productive communication strategies in the works, Amanda is also writing and illustrating some children’s books with her husband, Edward.
Location
Austin, Texas
Languages Spoken
English und ein bißchen Deutsch
Topics of Expertise
Faith, Animals, Cooking