(Ed note: This is translated from the Russian original. The original story, in Russian, can be found at .) I once had an urgent need to lay four dozen twisted-pair cables for a distance of about a hundred meters. Most of that run would take place over a three-meter-high suspended ceiling. Realizing that, being the lone admin, I couldn't possibly complete the job in a reasonable time, I asked our boss if we could hire third-party installers, and he reluctantly agreed. I wrote a request for quotation, describing the nature of the job, sent it to different companies and started waiting. One of the proposals stood out from the crowd. These guys claimed they could complete the work in just one day, and three times cheaper than the next closest competitor! Just in case, I called them to confirm they understood the task. They replied that they understood it perfectly, and that the speed and low cost were due to the fact that they would use a "cable-placer." I was intrigued - I'd seen a cable-placer when was in the Army and I couldn't imagine how such a device could be adapted to the laying of twisted pair cables above a suspended ceiling. At the appointed day just two technician arrived, with ladders and tools. Watching them unload the truck, I waited impatiently for the miracle machine that would automate the process. I didn't see such a unit, but the last thing unloaded was a small dachshund. Before I could ask about the appearance of the animal, they explained to me the dog was the mysterious "cable-placer." The dachshund was wearing a special suit with a handle to carry the animal and a harness on its head with an LED flashlight. Cabling was run out by attaching it to the dog's suit and sending the dachshund to the far end. The trained animal quickly sped to the sound of voices or the light of a lantern, dragging the wire. The ceiling was strong enough for the dog, and the dog was strong enough to haul about fifty meters of cable. The speed of laying cable in long and hard-to-reach areas was simply fantastic. The dog playfully ran to one side atop the dropped ceiling, and returned along the corridor, frightening our female staff. Even an incident in the form of fallen ceiling panels did not affect the dog's mood: The cable played the role of a safety belt, as the dog slowly sank to the floor. The installers told us that the dog is used to such situations. The work really was completed in less than a day--without unwinding the cables and hence no scraps. However, the work in our office came to a complete halt as everybody came to watch the work of the cable-placer.