One Balloon One Cry

[F, Calla & Luca]

A friend of mine told me this. You see someone selling balloons and your child wants one. You have a decision to make. If you don't  buy the balloon your child will cry. If you do buy the balloon, you'll please your child. But soon the balloon will break and your child will cry. So do what you think is best in the circumstances.
So what does this have to do with doodles? Luca adores balls. He loves hiding them, trying to retrieve them from where he's wedged or lost them, barking for me to get them. He also likes to demand they be thrown. This gets to be very annoying. Last week he accidentally tore my couch while digging under it for a ball he had purposely, believe me, placed there. Needless to say I was not happy. Suddenly it dawned on me, I know I'm slow, that this ball obsession was not good for me and not, therefore,  for him either. I decided it was best for me to banish balls from the house. Outside we can play fetch and he can can have fun with his balls. He tries to sneak one in sometimes but he's getting the idea. Life is so much better!

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

I have been married to this man for 40 years and it is a hopeless situation!!! He just sort of lives in his own world and doesn't listen. It is totally hopeless!!!

[Steve Drury]

This is so funny. We thought only our wacky Maggie would be goofy enough to think it's a fun game to throw / push / kick balls under the couch and make mom get them out. I shouldn't be surprised anymore that no matter how strange and unique our doodles' odd behaviors are------there's thousands more out there being just as goofy, smart and overflowing with personality. And THIS is why doodles are so popular.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

No tennis balls in my house either. But hard rubber balls, yes! She can play by herself with them and she does. It is amazing.....

[Christina and Cooper plus Benny]

OK, well tennis balls are banished from our house and have been for a long time, but that doesn't stop Cooper from insisting I play fetch with every other toy he can find! He can be relentless, especially in the evening when I finally sit down to relax. I play for a while, but I can only throw so many toys, so then I decided to throw ALL his toys - one by one it to the other room. It creates chaos and he plays with them all by himself! Then he brings them all back to me and they are easy to pick up! He is cleaning up without even knowing that is what he is doing!

[Mommy2Max]

Max has a big toy box and every so often, he'll empty the entire thing. That has to be 25+ toys. I'll put them back and he'll go at it again. Smart little doodle! Emptying the toy box IS the game. There are times I have to take three toys out and hide the the rest with the box in the pantry. LOL

[Christina and Cooper plus Benny]

That's what Coop used to do. Now I take them out, and he brings them back! They aren't in the bin, but they are all in one spot, and I can easily pick them up! It's reverse psychology!

[F, Calla & Luca]

Good idea!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Hmmm maybe I will banish balls after 9pm. Can we place the balls on a timer? All balls disappear when I sit down to a television show.

[F, Calla & Luca]

The good news is that you get to make the rules. As long it doesn't hurt the dog, anything goes.

[BG and Gavin]

Wow - and I thought I was the only one playing the hide-the-ball-under-the-couch game. Go figure! We have vowed that when we buy our next couch (after puppy stage is over) that we will bring a tennis ball to the furniture store with us and walk away from any couch that is high enough off the floor for the ball to fit under.

F Parker,Calla & Luca wrote:
Bonk him.
Hysterically funny!

[F, Calla & Luca]

You could always cut the legs off the couch : )

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Wow. That is an idea. Then my feet could reach the floor also. We could kill one ball with two stones..