So, you've taught your dog to sit, to roll over, maybe even play dead! Well, that's great… but don't you think it's time to teach him something more useful? Like helping you find your favorite fishing pole, or getting you an ice cold beverage! This is no joke! Darwin has found a dog that is truly a "Man's Best Friend!"
“Homeless” is a five year old Boykin Spaniel owned by Joe Tucker, a city council member in Chickasaw, Alabama. And when Joe wants to escape the pressure of city government, he goes fishing and takes “Homeless” with him. You see, Joe and “Homeless” both fish. Man and dog, together.
DARWIN: “He's going to go get the fish?”
JOE: “Right.”
DARWIN: “He's going to go get the fish.”
JOE: “I hook it and he brings it in!”
By now, you've realized that Homeless is no ordinary dog, and Joe is very much to blame. He decided he wanted a Boykin Spaniel after watching several of the breed retrieving doves during a dove hunt in Livingston, Alabama, five years ago. That's also when he found out his cousin had two newborn Boykin Spaniel puppies for sale.
JOE: “So I bought him sight-unsaw for $400 in a dove field in Livingston, AL.”
And the name Homeless? Well, Joe’s wife is responsible for that.
JOE: “We didn't have a puppy at that time and she said we weren't going to have a puppy! Not gonna have any dogs. So my nephew called her and she went down there and wanted to know where that homeless dog was! So his name is Homeless.”
But you you’ll have a hard time believing the coolest thing Homeless does. Joe calls to the dog and tells him to bring him a beer. The dog runs to a nearby cooler, digs out a beer can, and then brings it to Joe.
Darwin watches in amazement as Homeless fetches each beverage Joe asks for... Budweiser... Miller... water... a soft drink. How? Why?
Joe’s theory? “I'm going to say it's because I raised him from a puppy, and him going with me and shooting doves and getting drinks out of the ice chest and doing this together and fishing together that he just wants to do everything I do. He wants to please me. Anything I want him to do he'll do it for me.”
Homeless' ability to please Joe has landed him on the pages of magazines, on television's Inside Edition, even a command performance at Chicago's House of Blues. But there's always room for improvement.
DARWIN: “Have you trained him to open the beer yet?”
JOE: “No, I hadn't done that. He don't like the taste of it. If he ever bites into a can that opens, he won't pick up anything for over an hour. That's it."
DARWIN: “That must be very frustrating for you!”
JOE: "It is!”
Having witnessed Homeless’ abilities for himself, Darwin decides to ask: “Joe, you know what I'd really like? A frozen margarita.”
Joe turns to the dog and says: "Homeless! Go get him a margarita!"
The next sound you hear is the whirring of a blender, and soon Homeless trots out with a glass filled with a frozen liquid held in his mouth. Darwin takes the glass, but then bends down close to the dog’s face. Homeless won’t even look at him as Darwin says: “Homeless! Don't ignore me! There's no salt on the rim!”
If you’d like to see the website dedicated to Homeless, just click on: www.HomelessTheDog.com .
