To most people (and dogs probably) a ball is a toy to be chased and chewed and carried. Not for us or our dog Freya. We lose them all the time. In fact things get so bad that we have to make a bulk order for more balls(with rope) over the internet.
Part of the problem is eye-hand co-ordination (ours not Freya's) and sometimes the ball ends up being thrown in the river, in the sea or over a fence (topped with barbed wire or electric current more often than not). At other times Freya will drop the ball in the sea or the river. Did I tell you she doesn't do water above her ankles? I'm sure it amuses her to watch us paddle or wade out to retrieve the ball. At other times it's simply lost or swept away.
Obstacles like trees are the worst offenders (okay I can't really blame the tree for our inability to throw a ball) Every so often we lob the ball in a carefree fashion for Freya to chase and somehow it goes up in the air and lodges in the tree, tangled up by it's rope. And it's always just out of reach!
This was once such event. And as Freya watched, J and P tried shaking the tree, and throwing sticks at the ball. Without success. There were no other dog walkers or even walkers (we're always mighty suspicious of folk that walk without a dog) in the vicinity to see us looking stupid. But Freya watched our lamentable efforts with interest.
Then P had a bright idea and went to fetch a walking stick from the car. This is an indispensable bit of kit when you are foraging for brambles. So P got the stick and threw it up in the tree, trying to dislodge the ball. And guess what happened? At the third attempt the stick got stuck in the tree! This is what it looked like...
At a loss as to what to do next and having run out of bright ideas we retired home to think about it...
P had another bright idea and next day we returned with an apple picker with an extending handle. Both the stick and the ball came down to earth with a bump. Freya was happily reunited with her ball....
Until the next time...
Lucky you didn't have my husband to hand. He once found a very round pine cone with which he began to play an improvised round of golf. The pine-cone flew into a tree and got stuck so he threw his bag up to dislodge it and the bag got caught on a branch. At which point he realised his camera was in the bag and had to find a stick longer than the one he'd already found to play 'golf' with to get the bag back down.
ReplyDeleteIf Freya were a person I'd say she has that look of someone who's "gathering material for her novel"...
ReplyDeleteWhat a funny story. I bet your dog was saying "these crazy people, did they not know the ball got stuck?"
ReplyDeleteOh, that's good. I do like a story with a happy ending!
ReplyDeleteWe have just inherited one of those apple pickers with our new house.... puppy coming soon.......ball to follow, no doubt. Freya looks pretty chilled.
ReplyDeleteVery cute! I wonder what people would have thought walking by seeing a ball and a walking stick in the tree.
ReplyDeleteSo pleased you came up with something to get the ball back. imagine if you hadn't and it was still there might have confused the squirrels.
ReplyDeleteHello Janet! Scrolling down to the tree shot I laughed out loud. Terrific stuff! Glad you got them both back down.
ReplyDeleteDogs have their owners so well trained don't they, so glad you were able to re-unite Freya with her ball, I'm sure she appreciated it !
ReplyDeleteGreat story and im glad there was a happy ending!
ReplyDelete