QUOTE OF THE DAY (OR MORE): "No, no. You don't understand. This is an '89 Calico. I'm pretty sure that exceeds the Kelly Blue Book value. The cat's totaled." --A comedian whose name I forget talking about a vet who presents a $3,000 bill for a 12-year-old cat

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Fetch! ...or not




This morning I arose early once again, decidedly odd behavior on my part, to do a 14-mile bike ride through the beautiful countryside with an old college roommate of mine. Well, she's not old, it's just that.. oh, never mind. You know what I mean.




Though it's rather difficult to have a conversation during a 14-mile bike ride on roads one bike following the other, and the whir of cars passing here and there, we did manage to chat about a few things. Would any discussion of mine not involve my cute little (well, maybe not little....) Soph-a-loph? (Geez, mom, I'm a GERMAN SHEPHERD... could you PLEASE not refer to me like that? It's humiliating...).




I think not. Sooner or later, the talk turned predictably to dogs. Apparently my friend's aunt has a "Kuvasz" (pictured). I'd never heard of it, but perhaps I didn't hear her correctly, among the cars whirring, the wind blowing, the bike gears clanking (okay.. it needs a tune-up) and my own heavy breathing...




At any rate, turns out her aunt (or it could have been friend? or sister? I couldn't hear...) was looking for a protective, but not ferocious dog (ahem, German Shepherd?), and she ended up with this "Kuvasz." So... on a visit to the aunt/friend/sister... whatever... not important to the story..., she picked up a ball and threw it for the Kuvasz.




nada.




My friend said the dog just lay there and thought shruggishly: "oh... I guess you wanted the ball over THERE, then..."




It's hard to chuckle and bike uphill....

17 comments:

  1. The German Shepherd is the TOTAL dog! Mine will fetch her ball anywhere even in the pool!

    Cute dog though...

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  2. When an insect manages to breach our home's defenses and make it inside, my Siamese sets right to work catching it, tormenting it a bit, and then killing it.

    The other two just lay there, and give me pointed looks of, "Do something about that, will ya? I'm trying to nap here." Grr.

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  3. Occasionally my dog will go after a thrown object...but has never once brought it back.

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  4. I have had several dogs who had that same attitude regarding a nice game of fetch. I'm pretty sure they knew that I was the one who truly needed the exercise...

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  5. I have one dog who will play fetch all day long, like a pro. And another dog who will run, get the ball, and then take it somewhere never to be seen again.

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  6. My son fetches better than my dog but they both want treats.

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  7. Those are good guard dogs for sure! My dog Joey absolutely refuses to "shake". He's not dumb, he KNOWS what I want, he just refuses. This has been going on for 4 years now. I still try to get him to do it, but I get the same "get real" look from him.

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  8. My cat and dog are involved in some sort of gay, interspecies ear- and foot- licking relationship.

    Which has nothing to do with fetching.
    Or bicycling.

    I'm just outing them. Here.

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  9. First of all - 14 mile bike ride - good for you!!! Our old dog would really only fetch if it was a pizza you were throwing. And when Judge was alive (our lab cross) he was all I ever wanted to talk about too. Now I just annoy people with my kid talk:)

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  10. My dog will fetch a ball but then he doesn't want to give it back to play some more. You are awesome for doing a 14 mile bike ride. I can't even remember the last time I was on a bike. It does sound fun but exhausting!

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  11. You know you will end up talking about dogs on your bike ride? Interesting. More proof that I will never be a dog person. The best use for my bike would be for me to use it to run away from my dog.

    Other than the dog thing, I am a nearly perfect person.

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  12. LOL! I peeked this morning but didn't have time to comment--did you have another dog pictured?

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  13. Wow! That dog is pretty good looking, kind of a white Newfoundland look to it. I have 2 pitties, that were rescued and one loves toys, the other has no idea what to do with toys. Unfortunately both my dogs are now couch potatoes.

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  14. I have a Jack Russell Terrier and I learned the hard way to never play fetch with him...he doesn't know the meaning of "Ok, were done." lol
    Fortunately, he's mellowed with age.

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  15. A dog that doesn't run after a ball? That Kuvasz must be part cat or something.

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  16. We had a Newfoundland mix who was pretty sure she was a person. We rescued her so WE didn't make her like that, but by the time we got her, she was 6 years old and already had her mind and species made up.
    That dog would only play with stuffed animals (and would only baby them) and anytime I(or anyone else) TRIED to throw something or get her to play a dog game--no. She would look at me like I was soooo beneath her and I could see her mentally shrugging her shoulders as she turned her head to look away from me.
    That B*&^#.
    KIDDING! I totally loved her. We lost her to cancer last summer.

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