Blarney Plays Catch, Sort of...

Ever since he was a puppy Blarney has been obsessed with balls that squeak. Of course not all squeaks are created equal. His favourites are the smallest "JW" variety which are not always easy to find and are usually the most expensive. He loves a new ball and, if allowed, will squeak it constantly until it is holed and the hearty squeak becomes an unreliable peep. We've built up an impressive stock pile of these squeak, depleted balls which sit on a tray on the back deck. When he needs an outside break, throwing one out into the garden never fails to lure him at a run. Hence the game of catch has grown from these simple roots, plenty of squeak-free balls and Blarney's love to chase them down.

We can play the game pretty much anywhere including our backyard fern beds, but his favourite surface is hard packed beach sand where he'll run himself down like a windup toy. Other places he enjoys are tennis courts and open grass. When you're as short as he is, even uncut grass is hard to see over so I'm sure this is probably his third choice.

We've debated whether playing this game with multiple balls is ruining his chance to learn to fetch. Perhaps it has, but the trade off is worth it. We throw he catches. We walk to the new spot, we throw, he catches. Both of us get some exercise! Although the ball completely fills his mouth, Blarney has become a better and better catcher. He often hurls himself upwards to make a catch and sometimes miscalculates so that his long awkward body falls over into a roll. Watchers are amused and then amazed to see the "weiner dog" run and more so to watch his body launch upwards like an underpowered rocket. Game on!