On Sunday I shared this edited photo for Black and White Sunday of Luke hiding. A few readers figured out that he was in his agility tunnel, but who or what was he hiding from? You can barely see it in the photo, but he has a ball in his mouth. He took his ball into the tunnel to hide from ME.
That’s what our “new normal” is – my dog hides from me because I want him to play ball! We’ve come a long way from the days when our ball-obsessed beagle drove us nuts wanting to constantly play! I now know exactly how Cricket felt when she ruled the ball games, and Luke wouldn’t give up the ball to her for another throw.
How pathetic is a dog Mom who is trying to pry a ball out of her dog’s mouth, or begging him to give it up, while saying a variation on this chant: “Come on, Lukey, give me that ball so I can throw it. Don’t you want to play with me? Kiss…kiss…kiss” (he will sometimes respond to “leave it” or “give”, but I can’t overuse those commands or they’ll no longer work). I shared before how Luke and Sheba are not much into playing fetch with their team captain, Cricket, unable to play.
We’ve added some walks to our regular routines, but I still like to spend some time in the yard playing. It’s really come down to the fact that I’ve had to take over Cricket’s job of retrieving the ball! Both Sheba and Luke will chase the ball – at times – but most of the time I have to go to them to get it back to throw it again.
Sometimes Sheba will bring the ball back; with a lot of coaching. Luke would rather play keep away, which is fine as long as I can keep him moving and getting some exercise! But as seen, he will sometimes hide from me!
Luke loves balls but sometimes he just has no interest. I keep trying different things – sometimes if I toss the ball up and down catching it, that will pique his interest. Sometimes he prefers just catching it if I toss it to him, instead of chasing it. If I throw it from behind the bushes on the patio, or if it hits the tunnel or the fence that is more exciting, and if it goes out of the fenced in yard – that is especially exciting. Except of course, I’m the one that has to go get it, and the gates on our yard are not all in yet, so I have to walk all the way around most of the time.
They have been having a lot of fun with the tunnel lately though. I’ve had that in the yard pretty much ever since we moved in. At the old house, I only took it out occasionally. It’s just a cheap tunnel, so it’s taken being out in the weather pretty hard, and we’ll have to replace it next year. I’m hoping to find a tougher one that won’t cost a fortune. It’s easier to just have it out all the time, and that way they can play (or hide) in it a lot more.
I used to have it tied to the fence but all the ties have broken. So now the wind blows it around, which is what seems to make it even more attractive. One time when the Dadz was spraying the yard for fleas and ticks, he moved it to the patio. When the dogs were able to get back outside, the first thing they all did was to go into the tunnel, and it was still folded up on end!
I’m pretty sure I’M the one getting the most exercise, I’m the one sometimes taking 3 walks/day, I’m the one chasing the ball, or setting up nose work games, and I’m the one exhausted at the end of the day, especially if I do my jog in the morning as well, which is something I do for me. But before it was Cricket getting all the exercise, so I guess things really haven’t changed all that much for Luke and Sheba. I’m the one trying to adjust to the new normal.
I want to mention also that Cricket has been doing better! Even though she’s not playing ball, and still stumbling a bit here and there; she has been more active, playing with toys in the mornings and spending a lot more time outside just exploring the yard. That tells us that she is not in as much pain, and she seems smart enough to know what her limits are (most of the time).
The reality is that there’s probably not much reason to get used to this current normal anyway. Sheba has already been with us far longer than expected, and even though we have high hopes that will continue, we know that could change any day. Winter is coming as well, and that always jumbles up the routines. Even though dogs love routine, it turns out that maybe in this household it’s the Momz that loves it even more. I’ll be OK as long as they’re OK, even if I do feel like sitting down and crying when no one will play with me.
Im still working on getting caught up. ????
Glad Cricket is feeling better! And welcome to the club – I do believe that I am the only Retriever in this house. Shadow loves “keep away” almost as much as Ducky, but at least she lets me have the ball once in a while. That’s one of the “bad” habits Callie taught Shadow. ????
LOL Luke don’t you know that playing keep away just results in less fetching fun. 🙂 But I still maintain Luke is more of a pointer than a retriever (despite his DNA results). I think that is why he does well at nose work. Glad Cricket is better.
I always think I get more exercise playing fetch too! I try to even things out by bringing multiple tennis balls. At least I get to stand in 1 spot for a few throws. 🙂
Thanks for joining in the Pet Blogger Showcase
We have so many balls – and they’re all scattered all over the yard, because they’ll just leave them wherever. So I also have the task of going around the yard to collect them. 🙂
Glad to join the Showcase – I enjoy it!
Mom wants to apologize, she isn’t getting your emails any more so she’s going to go back and catch up on things. How funny that you say you get more exercise than the dogs! We usually only play ball in the house because our backyard is too small. Mom has to use 2 or 3 balls, since I refuse to give one back, she just throws another and I’ll chase that one, and she needs another one for Taffy to chase because I always steal hers. Get the picture? We totally get you. Love Dolly
I’ve tried using multiple balls too, but that just gives them more to ignore sometimes when I throw it – LOL.
It seems we’re both having email issues – ugh – what a pain, isn’t it? I might shoot you an email when I have a minute to ask more about yours. I’m wondering if the issues are similar or different. I’ve had so much going on I just haven’t had time to deal with it.
It’s frustrating. I keep telling my dogs they are labs and they belong to the RETRIEVER family, but they don’t listen. On the rare occasion they do play ball, it is for three to four throws and then it is over. With Sampson’s arthritis, he can usually only do one. 🙁 so I content myself with the walks.
I guess if they were in charge, they’d be adjusting to us aging as well. 🙂
Glad Cricket is feeling better!
I don’t think I’ve ever gotten over the fact that our beagle is a better retriever than our retrievers are. LOL
You had me at agility tunnel! WHERE did you get this tunnel? I need this for the dogs although while I write this I know Walter and Shermie would also go in there and hide from me. Neither like the ball but they’d fine naught sticks in the yard and take them in there I’m sure. I still want one for the living room though! None of our dogs really like to play with me — mostly each other. I’m not as fun I guess!
I honestly don’t remember where I got that tunnel! We’ve had it for a few years now. We’ve used ours inside the house too, and it was great! Now I think I’ll need to get a new one for the winter – we have a long hallway in our new home and it would work perfectly there.
I’ll be looking at some anyway to include on our holiday gift guide this year so I’ll keep you posted on what I find.
I’m glad Cricket is feeling a bit better! I know the feeling of playing fetch with yourself. In my case, Bear chases after whatever I throw, he just doesn’t bring it back. So in trying to get him to exercise, I have to too :p
Maybe they know exactly what they’re doing? They think we humans need more exercise? 🙂
Barley does things like that, too! If we’re at my parents’, she’ll drop the ball over the edge of the deck so it falls outside of the fenced area–I’m pretty sure there’s no clearer way to tell me she’s done than making me have to go out of the yard to retrieve the ball myself. I’ve found she’s more likely to keep playing with me if I use one of her stuffed toys instead of a ball. I think changing routines is harder on me, too–Bar got hurt last week and we had to do some rest and I about lost my mind having to take no/shorter walks.
Oh no, so you know exactly what I’m talking about. I hope Bar is feeling better by now.
I’ve tried bringing some other toys out to throw for Luke too, but I haven’t hit on the right one yet. He has a very short attention span sometimes!
Y’know, we don’t play as much as we used to either. Sometimes we’d just rather watch the red dot than try to catch it. Maybe it’s because we know we’ll never catch it. 😉
You’ve just gotten wiser in your old(er) age! 🙂
Lol, your last comment was too funny. I think Sheba and Luke aren’t playing out of respect for their little sister who can’t play. Or maybe they are trying to tell you it’s just not as much fun without her. Have you asked the dadz to play with you?
Ha, I’m pretty sure the Dadz is fine with them not wanting to play anymore! His one day per week of dog play duty just got easier.
I have to say though that if Cricket does come outside and pick up a ball, Luke and Sheba get really excited. I think Cricket truly is their leader, and I’m just not a satisfactory replacement. LOL
We say grab it and run
Lily & Edward
Glad Cricket is feeling better and while I know you’d love the pups to be more active, it’s SUPER that trying to engage them in play is keeping YOU in shape in a FUN way! Sammy sends hugs to Sheba the wonder dog….every day is a gift.
Love, Pam and Sam
You are so right….just being outside with them is fun, and way better than the jogging I do! Sheba sends hugs right back to Sammy….we hope he is feeling better. ♥
Nellie doesn’t want to bring things back and hoards them on the other side the pond when playing in the water. It drives me nuts.
That really makes it tough for you to do the retrieving! 🙂
So glad to hear that Cricket is doing better. 🙂
The new normal. It is what it is. It’s so hard to see our dogs changing. Roxy was a hiker, walker go machine. Not so much anymore.
that’s what I think often… I’m the one who gets the most exercise … but that’s ok, the suzie quattro memorial pants are grateful for more exercising :O)
Yeah, I’m pretty sure I’d be 5-10 pounds heavier if not for the crew! 🙂