How to play ball with team small dog.


Throw Ball.

If Banksy gets ball, lie down, hand off ball to Otterpop. Ball comes back to me.

Throw Ball.

If Otterpop gets ball, hand off ball to me. If somebody else is throwing ball, ball will not go back to somebody else. Ball might be layed down on by Otterpop. Or chewed on while stink eyeing non-me ball thrower. I have to go over there and get the ball.

Throw Ball.

If Otterpop is holded on to by me, Banksy can get ball. Ball comes back to me.

Throw Ball.

Oh look! Gustavo’s running towards the ball! Maybe he’ll get it!

No. Nobody saw where ball went. Gustavo knows, he saw, but he’s just running little circles of excitement because he chased a ball! It was flying! He chased it! Wheeeee! Let Otterpop go. Give her magic instruction words like, “No! Over There! Left Left Left!” and she will always find the ball. Ball comes back to me.

Throw Ball.

This time I’ll throw it over there where Banksy for sure sees it and I’ll throw it really far and Otterpop is all, Way too Far so she’ll just wait for Banksy to bring it to her for the hand off.

Throw Ball.

Ruh roh. Banksy ran after ball too many times in a row and she got the ball and she’s doing the brain overload thing where she can’t drop the ball she tries and she tries and she tries she tries she tries she tries and the ball is stuck stuck stuck stuck because her teeth are stuck chomp chomp chomp and she has that glazed over look and her mind is going ball ball ball ball ball ball ball ball and then it stops and she drops the ball. Hands off to Otterpop. Ball comes back to me.

Throw Ball.

Where’s Ruby? There’s Ruby. Don’t let Ruby wander off. Where’s the ball, Otterpop?

And so on.

PS. Gustavo has made a nest under some wrapping paper and old tote bags in the back of my closet and likes to spend part of his day every day in that nest. It is REALLY hard to get in there because, hoarders, and he has a secret path and likes to sleep there. Is this weird? I hope not. OK.