Althouse: Playing ball with a dog the way you play ball with a baby.

December 9, 2012

Playing ball with a dog the way you play ball with a baby.

Do you really think he likes that or is he just humoring you?

Or am I thinking about this the wrong way?

22 comments:

rhhardin said...: The ball is a word, and the exchange is conversation, so long as the dog thinks you're serious.

You don't need to roll it. Just giving him the ball and taking it from him, saying (You got your ball), can go on as well.

Vicki uses a ball to ask me to go out and do something.; 12/9/12, 12:13 PM
The Elder said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/9/12, 12:37 PM
The Elder said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/9/12, 12:37 PM
LarryK said...: That was a strangely mesmerizing game.

I would like to see more guest posts from Zeus - let him tell us directly what's on his mind, so we don't have to infer it.

There is some precedent for this - who can forget the interview of Pakistan's President Musharraf by Jonah Goldberg's dog Cosmo?

http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/221241/pork-n-pervez/cosmo

OK, maybe that didn't go very well, but Cosmo did show a little more leg, if you know what I mean, in his later interview with Kim Jong Il

http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/205552/cosmo-interviews/cosmo#

Not a perfect example either, but nevertheless, I think Zeus is ready to step up and join the elite, canine blogging community; you should throw him a bone.; 12/9/12, 12:41 PM
The Elder said...: I was doing something very similar with a 16-month old grandson this morning.

Does Zeus smile and show his dimples each time? If not, then 16-month old grandsons are even better than Labradors! And that says a lot.; 12/9/12, 12:46 PM
Big Mike said...: Labs were bred to jump into water just above freezing on bitterly cold mornings and bring back dead waterfowl without damaging the carcass. I'd say that as a breed they are very used to humoring us humans.; 12/9/12, 12:48 PM
edutcher said...: The Blonde and I used to play a game we called Paws with Treasure Dog and it was obvious sometimes she was doing it just to please us.

With that in mind, I remember an old line to the effect, "O! To be the man my dog thinks I am".

PS I've noticed Ann has a very soothing voice. I imagine it must work wonders on the pups.; 12/9/12, 12:55 PM
Rob said...: As it happens, I have the gift of knowing what dogs are thinking. And what Zeus is thinking is, I love being part of the game and having my friend play with me.; 12/9/12, 1:00 PM
Lyle said...: He loves it. Just like a baby does.; 12/9/12, 1:05 PM
Chip Ahoy said...: If I'm on the floor with the dog and put my hand on its paw, then the dog waits a moment then whips out her paw and puts it right on top of my hand just like a child would do. Then I whip out my hand and put it on top of her paw and she whips out her paw again and puts it on my hand et voilà doggy pattycakes.; 12/9/12, 1:51 PM
Anonymous said...: "This seems kinda like the way you play catch with a baby."

We stopped playing catch with babies long ago. We use tennis balls now.; 12/9/12, 2:42 PM
tiger said...: PERSONALLY, I think that Zeus was thinking 'Why wont this bastard pick up the ball and THROW THE DAMNED THING?!?!?'

I could be wrong but having owned numerous dogs I doubt it.; 12/9/12, 2:44 PM
Paddy O said...: Sheer actual enjoyment.

My old Lhasa used to be entertained the same way, and if no one was willing to play with him, he'd find a slope and play ball with himself, including using the stairs as a way of getting some speed going.; 12/9/12, 4:24 PM
Astro said...: My dog loves playing doggie soccer. I kick the ball, she chases it and brings it back. She tries to catch it before it gets by her. When she brings it back she 'flips' it to me so I can kick it again.
She especially likes it if I kick it 'up' so she can catch it while its in the air. She'd do this for hours when she was a puppy. Now that she's older she gets tired after about 15 minutes and quits chasing it.
She's a herding breed, so that may make her predisposed to this kind of game.; 12/9/12, 4:54 PM
Anonymous said...: Dogs are babies. That's why it's so distressing to see them mistreated.; 12/9/12, 4:58 PM
David said...: The dog enjoys this just like the dog enjoys having its ears scratched. It's pure pleasure.; 12/9/12, 5:02 PM
kcom said...: It's fetch. It's only four inches of fetch, but it's still fetch. Fetch is fun.; 12/9/12, 6:17 PM
Rusty said...: When he's bored, Ann, he'll quit playing. The dog I mean.; 12/9/12, 7:36 PM
Rusty said...: mojavehicular said...
Dogs are babies. That's why it's so distressing to see them mistreated.

"Dogs are just dumb guys"

Mason Williams; 12/9/12, 7:38 PM
Choey said...: My right wing attack dog humors me all the time, especially when I accidentally tune in MSNBC and he looks at me with that head tilt that says "are you nuts?"; 12/9/12, 9:56 PM
Anonymous said...: They're that, too, Rusty!; 12/9/12, 10:56 PM
Caroline said...: Ann, your Zeus posts are stirring my heart for another dog. Lost our yellow lab at 15 over a year ago, and I thought I could never replace her.; 12/10/12, 8:07 AM