Break-Through: Playing Catch
Why is playing catch considered a
break-through? Well, Glindy is a tough dog to play with, because
she doesn't have a strong retrieval instinct; she's much more
interested in wrestling, romping, and running.
Wrestling with Glindy is a bad idea. I won't say I never do it,
even though I know better; I just always regret it because Glindy
tends to play a bit rough when she's over-stimulated. She's a
gentle dog by nature, but she's also 70 lbs. of boundless energy,
which makes wrestling a very poor choice.
I don't exercise much myself, so long walks aren't on the menu. And
since she usually won't chase a ball, or catch a frisbee, that
pretty much leaves romping with other dogs.
I take her to doggy day care as often as possible, because I
believe a tired dog is a happy dog. It works, too: she comes home
tired, happy, and content to lay around at my feet while I watch
TV.
But when we travel, she needs more exercise than I can give her.
Going up and down the stairs at work or in the hotel does some good
for both of us, but it's not really enough. Playing catch would be
ideal, but it's hard to overcome her disinterest in the game. So,
imagine my surprise the other day when she not only caught the
ball, but brought it back to me several times!
She'd been out of day care for a few days, and was at her limit of
boredom. She *really* wanted to play, and kept inviting me to chase
her, wrestle with her, and romp around the yard with her. No
chance!
So, I took the peanut-butter flavored tennis ball outside, and
bounced it against the wall. She leaped into the air and grabbed
it. I was thrilled! She's done this before, but then she usually
runs off into the grass where she drops the ball before coming back
to me to play chase.
This time, though, she came over to me, and dropped the ball. Yay!
So I threw it again, and with some modest encouragement, she
brought it back a second time. A few more times, and then I decided
to quit while we were ahead.
It was a one-time thing, but it was a real break-through. I think
she understands the intent a bit better now, and may be more
willing to play in the future.
Hey, a man can hope. :)