Throwing the RIGHT Chuckit ball

[Pat and Traveler]

Trav and I go to a nearby park most mornings to play ball.  I take two Chuckit balls, throw one and when Trav gallops back and drops it, I throw the other one for him.   I've had some humiliating public experiences with the Chuckit launcher, which I'd really rather not discuss, and this is our more gracious, less destructive, adaptation of that game.  Trav stays in motion all the time.  When he starts returning at a walk or slow trot, I know he's had enough running and jumping and we move on to something else.

The only downside to this routine happens when I throw the wrong ball.  Trav has an unshakeable opinion about which Chuckit should be thrown next.  If I throw the wrong one, I get to fetch it myself, with him dancing along beside me, saying 'Throw it, throw it,' in dog-speak about the proper ball, the one I'm carrying as I trudge across the field to get that scorned Chuckit.

I've tried to show him that they are identical--it doesn't matter which one is tossed  because they are virtually the same ball.  He knows better.  There is a correct Chuckit and a nonexistent Chuckit.

This morning a cute little girl wanted to throw the ball for the doggie.  Sadly, she threw the invisible one, and then didn't seem to understand the dynamics of proper Chuckit tossing.  She'd seen him chasing two different balls, and was perplexed and saddened when he wouldn't fetch the one she threw.  My explanations about visible and invisible Chuckits obviously didn't make much sense to her, but after I gave her the right ball she did get to see the doggie fetch for her, and then she wandered off, probably with some pretty alarming stories for her parents. 

[Pat and Traveler]

Silly doods!  I can just see Quincy waiting for the 'right' ball while the wrong one hits him in the face!  Of course JD should get that 4th or 5th ball--it has to be the right one for that time and place! 

[F, Calla & Luca]

So funny and I do understand. And Karen, I'd never believe that of you but I heard that JD is writing a human training book ; )

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

JD is the same way, very particular about which ball he wants to fetch on which particular day. It makes no sense to me, but he can sniff 3 or 4 tennis balls in the yard and decide that none of them is quite what he's looking for at the moment, even though he's dancing around, dying to play. 

You don't think I go back into the house and bring out a 4th or 5th ball, do you? 

[DJ & Chance]

Too funny. And my experiences using the launcher are so humiliating that I don't use it anymore. I just toss the balls instead.

[Donna K & Quincy]

This so funny, Quincy has the same fixation, two identical balls and he will let the "wrong" one hit him in the face rather than catch it. :>)) I cannot tell the difference, two identical defuzzed Kong tennis balls.

[Bonnie and Kona]

:o) just giggling! C'mon mom! It's ABABAB! Never ABBAABAABB!! Geesh.

[Pat and Traveler]

I think Trav expects the balls to be thrown the way any reasonable dog would expect --  ABABABAB.

[Bonnie and Kona]

I have to confess, I am a bit confused. Do YOU know which one is the "right" one? Is this obvious only to Traveler? Our guys are just as (dare I say it?) weird? sigh. The nuances of dog-speak. 

[Jarka, Monty & Auggie]

I know! Monty does the same. Crazy doodles!

[Julie, Boomer, Milo & Casey]

Milo is the exact same way! He'll chase after the ball, pick up the 'wrong' ball and leave it for ME to fetch!