Dogs often express their unconditional love for owners with licks and tail wags, but one pup has the adorable habit of bringing gifts to her human every time she comes home.
I don’t think there’s anything better than being greeted by your dog when you walk in the door. The knowledge they’ve been waiting for you all day and their pure excitement simply at your arrival is just unbeatable.
So when a dog decides to go the extra mile to celebrate their owner’s return, it’s almost too wholesome to handle. Seven-year-old Xena is a perfect example of this as she’s taken it upon herself to find a perfect gift to present to her owner every time they arrive home.
Kelly Seaton, 32, took a series of pictures to document the unique gifts she receives from her golden Labrador Retriever mix, who scuttles off to find a piece of treasure every time she hears her owner coming.
Xena’s gifts are so random that Kelly is often left wondering where on earth the pup grabbed them from. Previous presents have included sellotape, a bottle of essential oils, empty bottles, ribbon, long-misplaced socks, a feather duster, cans of pop and, some of my personal favourites, a green bean and a single piece of dry spaghetti.
Like Kelly, I have a lot of questions. How did Xena manage to get her jaws on a single green bean? Did she discover it under the fridge? Or had she stolen it from a plate and saved it for this very moment?
As for the dry spaghetti, that’s even more baffling. Did the dog carefully extract it from a pack of pasta before delivering it to Kelly?
Unfortunately we may never know, but it’s entertaining to think about the possibilities.
After selecting the gift of the day, Xena waits patiently by the door for her owner to arrive so she can proudly hand over the offering – though not before receiving a belly scratch.
Kelly, from Maryland, USA, first began documenting the dog’s gift-giving around three years ago when the items started becoming more unusual.
She explained:
Xena has always brought me gifts. The first few times she did it, it was her ball or toys so I didn’t think anything of it.
And the first time she brought me something random, I thought maybe she couldn’t find her toys but then it kept on happening. I never expected it to go on for this long.
When I finally realised how odd it was, I started documenting it.
As well as finding gifts for when Kelly returns home, the seven-year-old dog sometimes even delivers items when Kelly emerges from a different room in the house.
She continued:
Her ball is the most common gift but she’s brought me all sorts. Sometimes I find myself really confused about where she finds these things.
The other day she brought me a gallon jug and I don’t even know where it came from or where she found it. She will bring me socks that I’ve been looking for for two weeks. I don’t know where she hides them.
She is always very proud of what she brings me. It has to be something she thinks is worthy.
Kelly always makes sure to thank her dog for her kind actions, and after receiving a well-deserved scratch Xena drops the gift on the floor for her owner to take.
Xena’s adorable habit extends beyond Kelly to friends and family, who are often left ‘beside themselves’ with joy at the pup’s generosity. The lovely dog is especially fond of his owner’s mum and ‘goes crazy’ whenever she hears her coming.
Kelly explained:
She runs around frantically looking for a gift that’s good enough.
The dog owner believes Xena’s passion for giving people presents is all part of her loving nature, and says the pup goes out of her way to make people happy.
Meanwhile, Kelly’s other pooch, Maserati, watches the process unfold and looks on as if to tell his furry friend she is a ‘suck-up’. Still, the owner described the two dogs as ‘the best of friends’.
Here’s hoping Xena will keep finding the strangest of items to bring to her beloved owner!
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.