PlayingAround

Gus and Penny Lane seem to have it pretty good compared to some other dogs in our neighborhood.   That is, they're not caged or penned; they have full run of a large, shady yard, outfitted with Igloo houses and a wading pool and the usual array of balls that have to be gathered up every time their Dad mows.

We played throw-and-catch with them every day, and they loved it. When the weather turned hot, we played spray-the-kids-with-the-hose, and they hated it. Gus, having the jaw power of the little bit of pit bull that's in him, makes mince meat out of the balls in anywhere from fifteen seconds to a few days. Penny Lane just plain became bored with toy after toy. Maybe something here is our fault.

Anyway, I wanted something different for all of us to enjoy together. It had to be substantial enough to withstand Gus's jaws, and stimulating enough to keep Penny's devotion. Back to Petco for ideas.

What I found was a medium-sized ball with a handle. The ball was formed rather than blown up, so even with a small puncture, or a sizeable one, it'd keep its shape and still be - well - a ball. Standing there in the Petco aisle, I imagined a long rope looped through the handle of the ball and then tied to this seven-inch diameter limb from our largest tree in the back yard. I could see the kids batting the ball around while we swung it back and forth, or vice versa. At any rate, it was a vision of family fun.

And it worked.   Three months after its creation, the swinging ball is the kids' favorite play thing. If they're inside and want out, most of the time they dash out the door and bounce around the hanging ball until one of us gives in and goes out to play for a while. Stubbornly, they'll camp under it until someone inside feels guilty enough to pad out there, wearing housecoat or office clothes, whatever. Penny plays the tight end (I don't know football, but she looks like some kind of player, anyway), hopping left and right, backing up for the catch, yipping out orders until the ball comes flying her direction. Then she's up and at it, straddliing it, grabbing the rope with her mouth, yipping some more when she gets frustrated. Gus's method of operation is to kinda pad around the playing field until the ball comes swinging his way, then casually grabs it with his teeth. And hangs on. And hangs on. A tap on the nose usually prompts him to release it.

If you'd like to try the swinging ball, here're a few notes about it:
       Petco has the balls, and probably other specialty stores do too, and they come in at least three sizes so you can customize it to fit the players.
       We use natural fiber rope rather than synthetic because it just seems safer.
       We double the rope for strength, loop it over the branch and tie it off near there instead of near the ball itself. Then we wrap the two strands of rope together with duct tape, beginning at the ball's handle and extending about three feet up. That was because Gus would chew up the rope within a couple of days otherwise, and less if he had a mind to. We were constantly redoing the contraption.
       Choose a branch that's sturdy and gives plenty of swing room and as little as possible of the bouncing off the tree itself.
       The distance between the ball and the ground seems to affect the pleasure factor. If it's too low, the kids could grab it too easily, thus reducing the challenge and fun. Too high, and it'd be frustrating for them trying to catch it. Ours ended up about six inches off the ground, and everyone's happy.
        Play around with modifications on your swing ball until it suits all concerned, including the person who does the mowing.

STUFFED TOY MANIA?

I want to know if there's a difference in the construction of stuffed toys for kids and those made for dogs or cats. I took one of each apart and the insides, as long as there was no battery pack or snaps or buttons, seemed alike in materials and manufacture.

We had a small collection of stuffed toys that we kept on a spare bed. One by one Penny and Gus have sneaked away with the toys, pulling off arms and legs and heads. So I hunted down replacements at garage sales, looking for those that were created more in one piece without so many appendages to rip off. At anywhere from a dime to a dollar (never more) apiece, these I consider a good investment compared to the pricy offerings at pet shops.

Does anyone have a problem, comments, or other noise to make about this? We want to be sure what we suggest is safe for the critters.