Adam Clark and Kim McGuire had adopted Ollie, an adorable Lagotto Romagnolo puppy (Romagna Water Dog), as a surprise for their daughter. But just ten minutes into their very first family walk in a local park, the little pup began to dig frantically at the ground.
When they went to see what was getting their new pet so excited, they didn't find an old stick or a muddy tennis ball. Instead, they discovered a set of 15 gold coins (gold sovereigns) buried in the earth.
A treasure worth almost £6,000
The find was handed over to a precious metals expert, who confirmed the coins were authentic. In total, the treasure was valued at £5,943.96, which is nearly $8,000 (around €7,500). For a bit of historical context, gold sovereigns are very old British coins, first minted during the reign of King Henry VII in 1489.
Amused by the situation, Adam Clark joked that he had just acquired his very own gold prospector. In just a few minutes, the puppy had virtually paid for himself.
The infallible nose of a truffle hunter
While the discovery felt like a miracle for the family, it’s not so surprising when you look into Ollie’s background. The Lagotto Romagnolo is an Italian breed, world-renowned as the ultimate truffle-hunting dog.
Originally used as water retrievers, they were bred over the centuries for their exceptional sense of smell and natural digging instincts, making them the best finders of white and black truffles. Ollie was simply following his natural hunting instincts, swapping luxury mushrooms for gold coins. With his cuddly looks and a detective's nose, he has officially earned the title of the perfect dog!