'It's coming home with me!': 22 Dogs finding the biggest sticks and refusing to leave them behind

Celeste Mello • Writer and Editor

Sep 25, 2026 7:30 AM EDT

Look what I found, hooman! This stick is coming home with me.

For a dog, nothing compares to finding a really good stick.

Yes, buddy, we see it. Everyone in the park sees it.

You take your dog for a walk and it's the perfect occasion for them to expand their collection of sticks. And they are not interested in that little twig on the sidewalk. Nope. They look for the branch that's twice as long as them. That's the dog logic when finding the perfect stick. The bigger and more inconvenient it is, the prouder they are of their discovery.

Once they've picked it up, they are committed. Good luck convincing them to leave it behind. It doesn't matter if the stick gets caught between two trees or if they whack their human in the legs every few steps. They are not putting it down. They turn sideways, adjust their grip, or drag one end along the ground to keep going. A dog's determination to carry a stick is the funniest part. What drives them to carry it home? We don't know. I guess it's similar to when a kid finds a cool rock and wants to take it home. For some reason, they find it strange and treat it like treasure. In dog language, that's what a good stick does. The discovery is so unique that it is worth taking home.

I respect their commitment because they look very funny. Little pups carrying enormous sticks look as if someone gave a toddler the responsibility for transporting construction materials. It's absurd and impressive at the same time. And so cute. Never give construction materials to a toddler, though. That won't be cute.

So if you are heading out for a walk with your dog today, consider yourself warned. Your pup might return with a souvenir. But there is something rather sweet about that. Dogs don't care if their discoveries are useful. They found something that made them happy, so they want to keep it.

Scroll down for proud stick collectors who have made their big choices. Don't try to convince them to leave their treasures behind because they won't.

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