What made you happy today?

[stui magpie]

[think positive]

Hehehe I'm just imagining that!

[3.14159]

For the last 3 years (or so) I've been trying to introduce my seeing eye dog Dog to the joy of fetch.
I'd pick up a stick and he'd bolt (a produce of his time as a pup), I throw a ball and sometimes he'd follow it but lose interest as soon as it stopped rolling.
I'd tell him to pick it up and he'd just look at like.."it's your ball, if you want it you pick it up"!
He's a Smithfield-Huntawae and loves a good run* (3-k's a is "light run") but stihl no love for chasing a ball!
I don't have a car atm so making sure he is exercised was getting problematic because the missus (and most of my friends don't like his big nails ripping the crap out of their back seats (fair enough but they aint getting a Christmas card this year)!
I bought him a round chew toy last week and I got a tentative half chase but he destroyed it after a good 5 min chew
Anywae I was at the pet shop yesterdae and saw a mint flavoured solid rubber ball.
I showed it to him in the afternoon, got a chase and retrieve and let him spend the night chewing it.
~ Woke up a.m and 6.10 with the dog sticking his face under the doona and a big slimy mint flavoured ball in the small of my back!
I hit him with a pillow (and a couple of hours later) took him (and the ball) outside to play!
He had a ball (literally and metaphorically)!!!
I was wondering why this ball worked when no others did and I think it is the mint.
He has only 1 eye (he is a Collingwood dog) and I think when the ball stopped he couldn't seing it, at least with mint if seeing it is a problem, sniffing it out isn't!
I'm sure no one gives a crap but... here's my dog (Dog) having some brand new fun!!!

*Especially if there's rabbits to chase!

[KenH]

Thanks for sharing 3, I like stories like that!

[stui magpie]

[think positive]

Very cool 3.14

I reckon smell has something to do with it,

I can throw 6 balls at once, so,e the same, the rest similar, and Molly will come back with the same one every time. If you throw the wrong one, she just looks at you like, no, not that one!

[3.14159]

It's definitely the smell.
He didn't want a bar of it at first but he got chewing it and I started rolling it and bang his interest was peaked!
I'm pleased to hear it's not just my dog that has trouble acting like... a real dog.
He was rescued from a farm and stihl has problems (including the lost eye) so when he does something as basic as chasing a ball I feel like a proud first time parent...yikes!

[partypie]

I had a dog who used to look at me with a "why on earth do you throw balls, anyone would think I'm a dog" look anytime I tossed a ball for him.

In a similar vein, when it was suggested to a country policeman that he hang round and chase hoons after the local pub closed, he refused stating that if God had meant him to chase cars he would have been born with four legs and a tail!

[stui magpie]

Took the afternoon off.

Sitting out the front having a drink and the magpies started coming in the yard looking for tucker so I came inside and got a cooked sausage out of the fridge.

Went out the front and sat on the step and started cutting up the sausage, before you know it I had 5 magpies within 2 metres looking at me.

A couple actually came over and took a piece out of my fingers, the rest I had to throw about 2 feet to them.

Left them to it after they cleaned up all the sausage and I left some cooked chicken on a rock in the front yard for them.

[HAL]

See you later. . What is your chair like?

[KenH]

Nice one Stui!

[HAL]

Thank you for your kindness.

[3.14159]

[stui magpie]

^

I'm just staying on their good side. When they're swooping everyone I can walk through the park with no hassles. They recognise me and leave me alone and swoop anyone else in sight.

[5150]