Slim Dusty - Sniff The Digger's Dog lyrics

rate me

Old Sniff the mangy one eye dog that knocked around the loo

A diggers dog was poor old sniff whom everybody knew

He didn't always live down here but came from way out west

Where men are men and dogs are dogs both are the very best

At times the dogs would gather round, Sniffs stories listened to

Of droving days with traveling sheep round the Darling and Barcoo

A drafting contest once said Sniff was held out back of Bourke

Ten dogs took part in it with me and dogs who knew their work

As each dog rounded up his sheep, he drove them in the pen

He closed the gates put in the peg, the peg fell out again

The peg you see was far too small for hole drilled in the post

Though I went last I won the day don't think I want to boast

But the way crowd stood up and cheered I still remember well

As I dipped the peg in water and I made the darn thing swell

Oh the city dogs all looked with awe and they were all agog

To hear of daring deeds like these from a simple country dog

Now once with sheep in a mulga scrub said Sniff heres one that's true

A ram got lost from out the mob, the boss kicked up a blue

He said Hey Sniff go find him boy, when I returned that night

It was on the old rams back I rode with glow worms for a light

Then Sniff he took a look around, winking his old blind eye

As a big Alsatian said Aint things getting dry

Old Sniff he looked him over, said  dry you're telling me

Oh its way out west where sandflies breed that's where you ought to be

Then he made their blood all curdle and he looked from left to right

When he told the mob about a fight he had in an outback pub one night

Said Sniff the dogs all fell on me, I thought I'd soon be dead

But I crept out of that scramble with camp oven on my head

Old Sniff he took a look at them, his chest swelled out with pride

As he spoke of great grandad and how poor grandad died

Oh they built a statue to him; don't think I told a lie

And I'll tell you where you'll find it, nine miles from Gundagai

Old sniff the mangy one eye dog that knocked around the loo

A diggers dog was poor old sniff whom everybody knew

He didn't always live down here but came from way out west

Where men are men and dogs are dogs both are the very best

[From The Old Time Drovers Lament June 1997

Barcoo Bill]