Can dogs count?

Many moons ago I delivered the Spencer Daily Reporter in my neighborhood. I had about 70 papers that I bagged and deposited before 7am Tuesday through Saturday. In order to get this accomplished each morning, I set my alarm clock for 5:30am. The four legged alarm clock named Ricky, usually began his wake up call a few minutes before then. Ricky was a Rat Terrier and my first experience with the terrier group. True to his heritage, he was constantly on the go. He'd do laps around the house for no apparent reason, jump, dance, bark, dig, chew, pull my son on his bike, list goes on. Ricky loved to go for walks, so it made sense that he would accompany me each day on the route. We were quite the team. If only I could have taught him to drop the papers on the subscribers doorstep, it probably would have been a more lucrative business. The one thing that Ricky did learn was the route. After all you normally trace the same exact steps each time you go.

One week, in the winter, I had a customer that was gone, so he had asked me to hold his papers until he returned. As we were making our rounds, we came across this house. Just as he should, he turned toward the house ready to make our delivery. When I refused to follow him, he gave me this look as if to say, "Hey, I think you're forgetting someone!" I was truly impressed by this maneuver. How did he know? Was he counting houses, steps, smells? Dogs are amazing creatures.

After 15 wild and wonderful years, Ricky was laid to rest in that same neighborhood. Long live the 4 legged paperboy on 2nd Avenue SW. Ricky dog, you were one in a million:-)