Golden retriever Maddie’s ‘bum wags’ when bins are collected

It means that every Friday when Maddie hears the first distant sound of a bin lorry approaching, she runs to the door of the family home in east Belfast eager to get out.

She then positions herself at the edge of raised garden at the front of the house, near to where any bins are left out to be collected.

The height of the garden means the Belfast City Council bin workers do not need to lean down to pet her.

One of them, Marc Doran, said: “We’ve a couple of friendly dogs (on the bin round) but not as friendly as Maddie. She’s one of a kind.”

So much so that when Marc started the round last year, his colleague Nathan Wilson immediately told him about Maddie’s enthusiastic welcome and that spending a bit of time with her had become part of the job.

As he stroked the dog on one of his regular Friday morning rounds, Nathan said: “There’s nothing as special as this. We look forward to this.

“Every dog is different. She’s just brilliant. I would stay here to five o’clock. It wouldn’t bother me.

“I think she loves everyone but I think she likes us a wee bit more.”