This afternoon I took Tank and Trust for a short walk down the driveway in some sunshine...a nice surprise that was. An unevenful walk...the best kind! Plan was Kira next, same walk down driveway and we had the large purple ball to play with.
We did a number of throws out into deep snow, and here she is 'taunting' me with the ball. She sets it up in front of me, backs up a few steps, hoping I will rush in to get it, and she pounces on it. A little game of her creation, I've never beat her, so she wins each time we do this.
I was able to get a quick sit and quick picture by pulling out "my hidden ball" in my pocket! Unfortantely, our 'nice' walk changed when we went up behind the house. She spotted a close squirrel running and raced after it with the purple ball still in her mouth. Suddenly, a deer I hadn't noticed, flagged and raced off in front of them, with her in hot pursuit. She was already 'gone' before I had a chance to call. And still had the ball in her mouth. Talk about fast! When she did hear me and began to come back, I saw her circling. Somewhere she had dropped the ball, and there was no way she would leave a ball behind before coming back. Not this one. Not with all her ball training. I finally tried to walk down a deer track hoping to spot it if she hadn't. She was running ragged and one swoop past me, she was tiring and I reached out and managed to grab her. I took her back to the house, I've never felt the need to pull her off a search before, but with the deer out there, I wanted her back. I decided to let Blasts' walk go and instead bring him out to search for the ball. I knew it wouldn't take him long.
He made a number of circles over the deer paths, and then went down in behind and under some spruce trees near the fence, coming out with the ball . What a good boy.
His reward was to go back and play on the snow piles, which he loves to do. He's just coming up from the back and over this one.
He pushed the ball down to me, and lay down on top to wait for me to get it and toss up to him. These dogs are all smarter than me!!!
Loves, loves, loves to jump!
