Spirit (6 years 9 months) Playing with Justice (5 Months)
11/4/21

The day Justice turned 5 months old dawned quiet, crisp and sunny.  I decided to take photos of his participation in all the big dogs’ daily ball sessions, because he has invented some fascinating games that are different according to the tolerance level of that particular adult dog.  I have never had a dog devise such complicated games – and remember which game he plays with which other dog. 

Since I’m still trying to get him forget his fascination with rocks, I take a different toy (sometimes 2) out for him each time in case he gets tired of the game he invents – or the big dog isn’t cooperating that day.

We go out as soon as the sun is up since it takes over 3 hours to do all the ball sessions.  I give each dog a fifteen-minute ball session plus a cooling-off period before I put it up and get the next one out.  The winter sun is already quite low on the horizon even close to midday, so you will see some really interesting light effects and shadows in these photos.  

Spirit’s session is the third one.  Spirit has a high booty drive, which is a desire to possess the toy.  She likes to retrieve, but has an awful time giving up the ball.  Because of this, I use two balls.  I have one ball ready in the ChuckIt where she can see it, and I wait until she decides she can drop the ball she has.  Then I quickly throw the other ball and off she races.  Justice finds this fascinating and has begun hovering close by so that he can chase and grab the ball she drops.  Then he chases her out a little way before bringing the ball to me so I can have it ready to throw when she returns.  Spirit sometimes takes a while before she can stand to let the ball go, and she will chew it, even accidently drop and bump it so she has to go chasing after it.  I get the feeling sometimes that she’s teasing Justice, because he gets all excited as soon as the ball moves – and then she pounces on it so he doesn’t get it.