Great Toy Idea

[Guest girliejr]

I will have to try the clear plastic bottle trick for Jack. I bought the Bubble Buddy toy last night and it took a while for Jack to warm up to it. My roommates Maltese liked it more than Jack! Jack was afraid of it at first. The "gun" makes a lot of noise, and he really wasn't that interested in the bubbles. Until, of course, he noticed the Maltese playing with the bubbles. Then he wanted them just because she had them. He finally got interested in them, but I don't think the bubbles will ever be his favorite toy!

[Guest grumpy]

Gee...the tennis elbow is a bit unfortunate!! I dont know whats available over there, but in Australia they sell these things that look like a really long shoe-horn and the tennis ball fits in the end.....a quick flick and off it goes.....so much easier!!!!!!

[bradl]

Here's the answer to tennis elbow for ball-mad dogs Frightful on the pocketbook though!

[wags]

To Texas 96:

You cap up the bottle? How does Jke get to the treats?

[CarCarDawn]

Hi! I put ice cubes in an empty and capped plastic water bottle and give it to Riley when we are on the pool deck. This keeps him busy for a while and he gets a drink everytime he punctures it or turns it over. Keeps us both amused!!!

[Guest Tototoo]

Brad, I like that idea for the tennis ball fool. I'm thinking the basic model would do and no price is to much if it makes our baby happy!!!!

His latest trick is to "lose" it under the nearest dresser or TV stand and yips and barks in that deafening tone. Then he watches me crawl on my hands and knees to get it.

If he weren't so cute . . .

[Guest Guest]

I am glad to know Jack isn't the only one who does that! He loses balls, bones, and toys under the couch and he barks and barks until I get it out. He knows I will get it out if he keeps barking! We are creating monsters and spoiling our "babies"! They are worth it, though .

I tell Jack all the time it is a good think he is cute......

[Guest girliejr]

Sorry, I guess I wasn't logged in for the previous post.

[Mama Kim]

Piper loves empty plastic bottles but I never give them to her capped. She is able to get the cap and plastic ring off in a matter of minutes! I'm always afraid she will swallow it. She also loves the tops to Cool Whip containers. She actually catches them with her front paws, lol!! They are much better than a Frisbee.

[Scully'sMom]

Scully has gone through every stuffed toy she's had. I still have to send back the stuffed toy named Commando that you can get a refund on "if a pack of wild wolves or your dog" destroys it. She had it about five minutes and chewed the point off one of the ends.

Scully loves ice cubes. She comes running if she hears you getting some out for a drink. She bats them around like a soccer ball. When she was a puppy I had filled up a Cool Whip tub with water outside and she picked that sucker up and walked around with it in her mouth for about 15 minutes. Then she started fighting with it.

These little ones just crack me up. Bradl, just a "tad" on the expensive side for that tennis elbow helper...LOL!

[Guest Milopup]

I envy all of you who have cairns who will play with the tennis ball. My cairn pup won't play fetch, won't go after anything I throw (unless it is food!) and destroys all toys within a couple of minutes (even the "virtually indestructible" ones). Any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks. :-)

[bradl]

I haven't met the Cairn yet who won't chase a rabbit fur on a whip. Also, if you can't find an 'indestructible' toy, use destructible toys and just change them regularly. (Buy cheap ones or make your own.) There is an interesting book called Culture Clash that points out that dogs have some pretty hard-wired drives: Can I eat it? Can I mate with it? Can I tear it apart? All are natural activities for a dog. In some ways, ball-retrieving is the weird behavior!

[Guest Milopup]

Thanks Bradl. I have given up on my baby ever fetching anything except food (which he won't return), but it is fun to show the destroyed toy to the Petsmart folks, and then show the fierce 10 pound animal that did the deed.