Dog

Does your dog have a bigger “fetch drive” than you?  What I mean is, does he want to play fetch longer than you are able to repeatedly throw the ball?  And as a result, are you not throwing the ball as far as possible for your dog to get some good exercise?  I cannot count the number of times that I overused my arm and shoulder playing fetch.  I noticed that as my arm got tired, my throws would get sloppier and sometimes I almost overextended my elbow or my shoulder.  I love golf, and I did not want to risk any injuries that would prevent me from playing every weekend.  I needed to find a better way for us to play fetch.

Then one day I was throwing the tennis ball for my dog, and I was getting tired and wondering how I could throw it farther so he would be the one getting the workout, and it finally occurred to me how to throw a tennis ball farther… by not throwing it!  I went into my garage and grabbed an old tennis racquet and started to lob the ball for my dog to catch.  And our game of fetch was instantly transformed.  Why didn’t this occur to me before?!  Within minutes, I was offering him a medley of ball distances, speeds and trajectories, all with less effort on my part.  I could alternate the arc of the ball depending on how much I wanted him to run, and I was astounded at how far I could hit the ball with just a gentle underhand stroke.  It was also fun to hit the ball high and watch him try to figure out where it was going to land.  And let us not overlook the entertainment value of a dog trying to catch a high-bouncing ball.

To my dog’s delight, we are now playing fetch for as long as he has the energy.  This kinder, gentler way of playing fetch has preserved my arm and shoulder integrity so my golf game is no longer in peril.  And it has added the variety necessary to keep our fetch playing interesting and fun.

So go grab a tennis racquet and some balls and begin putting a new spin on playing fetch with your dog.  And if tennis isn’t your game, then grab your racquetball racquet, your baseball bat or anything that will propel a ball will less effort from you.  You and your dog will love this!

Make sure to visit my blog MyDoggie.org for helpful dog tips and advice on Eliminating Barking, Leash Training and much more!