Collecting things might sound a little weird to some people but others simply love it. According to research, it has been found that people collect things when they don’t want to get rid of something they enjoy. It can be anything like the obsession of collecting currencies, postcards, matchboxes, stamps, and whatnot. People who like this thing, feel something oddly satisfying when they get something more to add in their collection. And what they like most is when someone asks them to show their weird collection.
But here we are not talking about humans. It’s a story about a sweet boy who has also developed a great interest in collecting things. We know it’s strange but it’s true.
Meet Bruce, the 4-year-old golden retriever who’s become a bit of a refined collector of sticks
His name is Bruce and is a 4-years-old golden retriever. You will be surprised to know that he has a very impressive collection of sticks. We know you might be thinking that dogs love sticks in general. But no dog has more than one or two sticks. Whereas Bruce’s obsession with sticks has made him a refined collector.
We tried to talk to Bruce’s human Leo Icenhour so that we can know how this obsession was actually started. Icenhour told us it all started when his favorite stick got buried under the snow after one winter storm. After Bruce lost his stick, he became restless and started digging.
Icenhour says that “He started his stick collection after massive snow came into our area and left about 12 inches of snow on the ground.” He further says that “At the time, he only had one stick and it was his absolute favorite. Well, it started snowing one evening and he left the stick out in our field. Over the next couple of days, he was in an absolute frenzy every time we went outside, relentlessly searching for his stick. He would dig like a madman and even bury his head in the snow trying to find it!”
The adorable doggo has over 50 sticks in his collection already that he picks up during his daily walks
He isn’t allowed to play with them, only rubber toys, but just take a look at how proud he is of his collection!
Dogs and sticks don’t sound odd together. But what is actually surprising in Bruce’s story is that he has more than 50 sticks. 50 STICKS! These many sticks are enough to make any doggo go bonkers with joy but not this goldie because he wants more.
Bruce has every type of stick straight ones, curved ones, thick ones, longer ones, shorter ones, plain, barkful, barkless, thin ones, and pointy. We believe that if Bruce could ever communicate with humans, he would definitely tell the story behind each stick and why it is in his “great collection”.
Icenhour further says that “Bruce doesn’t seem to discriminate as he loves sticks of all shapes and sizes. We live near a creek that floods often, so he always has a wonderful selection of driftwood to choose from outside.”
The good boy started collecting after he had lost his favorite stick after heavy snowfall
He spent some time looking for it hectically, digging holes and sniffing around
When Bruce was digging the snow and finding his precious stick, he stopped after the weather warmed up. And maybe, that’s when he realized that he didn’t want to feel that terror and fear again. Thus, his obsession with stick collection started.
Icenhour says “After a few days of sunshine melted enough of the snow, he finally struck gold while digging and found his precious stick. I believe from that moment on he never wanted to be stick-less again, so he started the collection.”
If you are thinking whether Bruce is allowed to play with these sticks or not, the answer is no. It’s because of an accident that took place a couple of years back. But don’t worry because little Bruce gets to play with rubber toys.
“We have been through a lot with each other as he almost lost his life after a stick perforated his esophagus while we were playing fetch the day of his 2nd birthday. From that point on, we started playing with a rubber stick for fetch purposes and Bruce started building his stick collection!” explained Icenhour.
Once the snow had melted, he was reunited with his favorite stick
After this experience, he started collecting more sticks so as to not relive the same temporary loss
Yes, Bruce is super cute but he is not allowed to bring the sticks inside the house as it might cause a great injury to someone. However, our little goldie is allowed to keep the sticks in a designated area outside the house. And there he proudly shows everyone his great collection of sticks.
“As a dog, Bruce can be summed up by the phrase ‘happy-go-lucky.’ I am a bit biased, but I do believe he is the goodest boy in the world,” said Icenhour. “He’s always so eager to please and loves for the spotlight to be on him. He goes everywhere with me and our favorite time of the day together is nap time (other than the fetch time of course.)”
He continued: “Treat wise, like many other dogs, peanut butter is his absolute favorite! Every year for his birthday, aka Bruce-A-Pa-Looza (the biggest party of the year), I always make him a juicy double cheeseburger which is always vacuumed up in a few seconds.”
The lovable pooch and his collection have been going viral on Reddit, Imgur, and various news outlets
Did we mention that Bruce also has a best friend and a small sister? She is a rescued raccoon and her name is Lily. Icenhour explained “I rescued Lily when she was 4 weeks old as she was in an orphaned situation and she has fit right in with this family ever since. She and Bruce wrestle and chase each other around the house for hours on end and it is most certainly the most beautiful and pure friendship I have ever seen.”
We also asked Icenhour about this entire thing where Bruse and his crazy obsession has gone viral. To this, he says: “Am I surprised that Bruce has become an internet sensation? Absolutely not. He is the light of my life and truly a unique pup so I am more proud of him than anything. He is the moon to my stars, the cheese to my macaroni, and the peanut butter to my jelly.”
As we have already said, collecting things might sound a little strange to some people. But it is a good hobby to have in general. Besides this, collecting things also provides a sentimental and emotional outlet for their interests. Not to mention that this amazing hobby also helps in reducing stress and anxiety.
This is why Bruce’s amazing and interesting collection has gone viral with nearly 100,000 views and 11,000 upvotes collectively on Reddit and Imgur. If you want to know more about Bruce, you can visit Leo’s Instagram account and can check the sweet photos. And oh, don’t forget about Lily.
Here’s how the internet reacted to Bruce and his amazing stick collection
