Alas, Poor Bally (Ode to a Basketball)

Oh, cruel and unkind fate that casts aside hours of joyous barking and pouncing with one small pop and hiss!

Bally came into our household from Walgreens several years ago. Initially, it appeared like any other basketball, except for it's glow in the dark quality. Many, many objects from Walgreens and Walmart and PetSmart have made a brief appearance in our lives. Fuzzy or squeaky, bouncy or tuggy, they are loved, not wisely but too well, and soon the bits and pieces scattered in the living room are a grisly testimony to their fate, seldom even lasting long enough to be completely unwrapped or earn a name.

I have tried things labeled "tuff" or "indestructible" The labels lied. I have frantically assembled the bits of many a "for powerful chewers" to make certain no big parts made it into the dog.

But, Bally was different. I don't know why. Despite it's seemingly venerable inflatableness, Bally persevered, nay, thrived. Joyously, Bally would bounce around the living room on rainy or too hot days, rappelling off walls and furniture with Spoiled One and Weasel in hot pursuit. I had seen Bally cornered so many times, but, always, somehow, it slipped past the teeth and claws and went once more into the breach.

Until today.

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Maybe Running Veterans in Rio Rancho

Spoiled One may be running veterans on Sunday in Rio Rancho, which is both cool and kind of sad. It's cool because he'll get to run both days, probably, with the regular team on Saturday and with the Veteran's team on Sunday. But, my puppy is EIGHT YEARS OLD. He's getting older. He doesn't seem it, really, maybe a little calmer and easier to manage. I don't want my dog to be old.

Well, at eight, he's more middle aged than old, I guess. Anyway, I will be sure to do stretchies and warm ups for him. The sad part is a lot of core dogs on our team are getting near the veterans mark. The start dog, Weasel's idol dog, our current height dog, have all been there the entire four years Zeph has been training. I believe the idol dog and the start dog will be qualifying for veteran's in a year or two. With the new dogs, we'll have to be careful to practice with several different dogs in the start dog position and I would love it if we got more than one height dog going strong, so we could switch them out.

Weasel will run with the regular team both days, probably. She's just starting her flyball career. I should be working on their endurance conditioning (and mine - Spoiled One is a workout to run). Also, as always, building tug drive. The current tugging game is making them wait in another room, grabbing the tug and calling them to race and come get it.

I also ordered them one of the much coveted pheasants and a mallard from the website. Weasel has joyfully snuck into my teammates cars and stolen their pheasant every practice. She's so cute and proud as she would prance about, chased by the pack of dogs, proudly squeaking her prize and then drowning it in the water bucket. I tried a petwhatever one, but it held no thrill for her. My theory is that it's because it's SOMEONE ELSE's pheasant that she loves it so, but I am trying to accomodate her. Maybe my teammate and I can switch pheasants every practice.

Such spoiled dogs. . .

Santa is Dead

<--Official Crime Scene Photo

Sad news to report. Santa is dead. Weasel Puppy ate him.

In her defense, there were squeakies involved. The Spoiled One is listed as a co-defendent. A witness reported hearing ferocious growling noises and frantic squeaking. Upon investigating the disturbance, the witness discovered the grisely scene.

Wishing you what joy you can find in this holiday season, despite this unfortunate incident.

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