Postman and Neighbourhood Dog Have Best Friend Routine — 3 Years Running

In a quiet neighbourhood in Edinburgh, Scotland, something wonderful happens every weekday at 10:47 AM. Postman Gordon Reid stops at 14 Maple Avenue. And Charlie — a 5-year-old golden retriever — is always waiting. What happens next has been going on for three years. A neighbour finally caught it on camera. The internet hasn’t recovered.

The Routine

Gordon approaches the gate. Charlie stands on his hind legs, both paws on the gate. Gordon gives a formal two-handed handshake to both paws. Charlie drops down, spins once, and presents his back to the gate. Gordon scratches behind both ears simultaneously for exactly 30 seconds. Charlie then sits. Gordon produces a small treat from his bag (Gordon brings treats every day). Charlie takes it extremely gently. Gordon tips his hat. Charlie does something that looks remarkably like a nod. Gordon delivers the mail. Charlie watches from the gate until he’s around the corner. It takes approximately 90 seconds. Gordon has not been late on his rounds in three years.

How It Started

“He just looked like he needed a friend,” Gordon told reporters who tracked him down after the video went viral. “First day, he was just sitting there at the gate looking a bit sad. I stopped. We figured it out from there.” Charlie’s owners, who work from home, had no idea the full extent of the routine until they saw the video online. “We knew he liked the postman,” said owner Fiona Davies. “We did not know there was a handshake.”