Her naughty dog ate whole popsicles and threw up — leading to a stunning discovery that solved a 6-year-long search

Known as the family’s playful 'food burglar,' the mischievous pup couldn’t resist anything that smelled delicious.

PUBLISHED 4 HOURS AGO

(L ) A dog chewing on a popsicle ; (R) A woman with her jewellery box (Representative Cover Source: Getty Images | Photo by (L) Artur Debat; (R) Kinga Krzeminska

Unexpected discoveries often come from the ones we least expect. Lois Matykowski’s then-10-year-old Rottweiler mix was a foodie, and this time his eyes caught a popsicle. But little did Matykowski know that the vomiting afterward would finally solve a mystery she had been chasing for years.

Small dog happily chews a bone on a comfortable gray couch. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Andrey Znamenskyi)

Matykowski and her husband had been married for 20 years when she lost her diamond wedding ring. "We had just upgraded the ring, and it wasn’t insured. And it wasn't just the value, but also the emotional ties. How do you replace that?" Matykowski told ABC News. The couple's pet Tucker, adopted from the Wisconsin Humane Society, had always been known by the family as the "food burglar." "He loves anything that smells good. He will eat whatever he can get his hands on," she said. "We try to stick to dog treats, but he is 55 pounds and his front paws can grab snacks pretty easily."

Woman showing a diamond ring - Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by solidcolours — Woman showing a diamond ring. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by solidcolours)

On one fine day, their pet dog swallowed a popsicle that included a stick. Lois grew anxious about Tucker falling sick and immediately contacted the veterinarian, who suggested putting Vaseline between two slices of bread to help Tucker vomit and bring the stick up from his stomach. Thankfully, he coughed it up, and they were able to remove the stick from his belly.

However, two days later, he fell sick again and was acting as if he was about to vomit once more. Lois' husband took Tucker to the yard, where he threw up a precious object the couple had been searching for years. As she was cleaning up the mess, she spotted something sparkly in the tissue paper. There, amidst the debris, was Matykowski's diamond ring, which she had lost six years ago. "I screamed. I kid you not," Matykowski said.

A dog eating fruits (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Rarnie McCudden) — A dog eating fruits. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Rarnie McCudden)

She immediately cleaned it, and there it was, the same diamond wedding ring that looked just like when she lost it. The veterinarian believed that the popsicle stick may have dislodged the ring. For further clarification, a full-body X-ray was also taken of Tucker to make sure he had not hidden any more treasures in his stomach. According to Science Direct, a 2021 study explored how frequently dogs chew on edible and non-edible objects, and what factors influence this behavior.

The study found that younger dogs are more likely to chew household items, while owners often provide alternative chewable toys, both edible and inedible, to redirect their behavior. It also discussed how chewing is a natural, stress-relieving activity for dogs, but when unmanaged, it can lead to ingestion of non-edible materials, posing health risks.

Though Tucker threw up on her carpet, Matykowski is delighted to have found her lost ring. "My friends have been telling me: 'I want a dog that throws up diamonds,' who wouldn't, right?" Matykowski joked.