Dog Bolts Out of House Every Fall to Jump into Pile of Leaves (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Stella in leaves.Photo:Courtesy Jody Hartman

Courtesy Jody Hartman

In the coastal town of Freeport, Maine, an 11-year-old Labrador Retriever named Stella is extra excited for this season and the leaves it brings — for her to jump in!

Stella’s leaf-leaping journey began nine years ago when her owner, Jody Hartman, first recorded her jumps when she was just a puppy.

“One day I was raking leaves in our yard, she was about 2 years old at the time, and she just ran and launched herself in while I was raking this huge pile together,” Hartman tells PEOPLE exclusively. “I didn’t do anything to prompt her. She just ran full speed into the leaves.”

Hartman, who has made a career out of filming the senior dog, says the animal’s love for nature doesn’t stop at leaf jumping. “She just wants to be outside going crazy in any way she can,” he reveals. “She loves wrecking dead trees, loves swimming, and if there’s mud anywhere near her, she’ll find it.”

Stella has also had a heavy influence on Hartman’s 4-year-old Labrador Retriever, Mabel.

Stella and Mabel with their leaves.Courtesy Jody Hartman

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While many viewers see a joyful canine and her pile of leaves, the impact Stella has on those who watch her videos can be profound.

“We have had people who have fallen on really hard times and Stella has really lifted people up,” Hartman says. He recalls a time they surprised a fan named Leslie, who has cancer, with a visit from Stella and Mabel. “We surprised her again a couple of weeks ago," he adds. “She said those videos of Stella are what keep her positive.”

source: people.com