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

Jody Hartman's Lab Stella — and her companion Mabel — can't get enough of jumping into piles of leaves

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.”

Nine years later, Stella shows no signs of slowing down. Hartman recently shared a side-by-side TikTok video showcasing the dog's leaps from ages 2 to 11. While her speed gradually changes, her joy for nature remains the same.

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Stella’s beloved hobby has captured the attention of millions of TikTok users, with many highlighting how healthy she appears. “Stella’s in good shape for 11!!” a user comments on the viral TikTok video. “The speed has changed, but the joy has not!” writes another.

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.

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“Mabel now does the same thing. Stella has taught her how to jump in the leaves,” Hartman says. “Mabel started learning it by watching Stella and now she does it on her own, too.” He says Mabel is technically Stella’s niece, so her love for nature runs in the family. However, “Mabel is doing it in her whole little style — she jumps twice as high," Hartman adds.

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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."