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April 17, 2014

You threw it, why should I fetch it?

Fetch is a simple game – you throw, they retrieve. But after my mom blew my mind the other day with her insight about pet toys, I’ve started to take a second look at familiar things. A recent trip to the park had me rethinking what I can learn from Eko’s struggle
Fetch is a simple game – you throw, they retrieve. But after my mom blew my mind the other day with her insight about pet toys, I’ve started to take a second look at familiar things. A recent trip to the park had me rethinking what I can learn from Eko’s struggle to understand fetch.

If I take a ball from home, go to the park with Eko and then throw the ball? Eko assumes I must be throwing it away. He ignores the ball then finds a stick to run around with

On the other hand, my brother’s dog Dutch is so obsessed with fetch he will disregard an oncoming wave because he can’t bare to turn away from the ball

At the park Eko saw how excited Dutch was, but he couldn’t understand the hype. To Eko, my brother was trying to throw something away. Why would Dutch be rude and bring it right back to him? 

Eko gets a bit forlorn when other pups ignore him and prefer to spend their time playing fetch

“I don’t get it, Will.”

I laugh at Eko’s confusion, but I have to admit I don’t get it either. Fetch – a simple game – illustrates a simple lesson. You’re not always going to understand why pets or people love what they do.  Or why they’re passionate about the things they’re passionate about. So just enjoy your passion and enjoy others enjoying theirs.

Although, Eko’s passion is jumping into dogs who won’t play with him so…

I may need to tweak my theory.

Comments for You threw it, why should I fetch it?

  1. I tried to play fetch with a bumper toy, it worked perfectly… till Easy decided to make a bumper puzzle :o)

  2. PigLove says:

    I know the details of fetch but like you – why? I mean, why use the excess energy. Mom says its because dad needs the exercise – snorts. Then dad needs to fetch the ball when *I* throw it – don’t you think? XOXO – Bacon

  3. writetowag says:

    LOL!!!! Go Eko…that last pic is priceless!!!!

  4. Victoria says:

    it is amazing how many life lessons we learn from our dogs!! Makes you wonder who is smarter man or beast?

  5. fredrieka says:

    I like fetch and jumping into other dogs and goats.. Woof

  6. Elyse says:

    All my dogs have understood the concept of “fetch” — it’s giving the prize up that has always been the problem!

  7. nerdgrl (Kim S.) says:

    Tug of war is much better than fetch any day. Mommy and Daddy are really careful about my teeth though. I like to pull so hard they’re afraid I’ll break a tooth. We play tug of war with all my fluffies EXCEPT baby doll. That, I won’t do.–Steffi

  8. Jack doesn’t get it either, Eko and he’s a RETRIEVER! If I work him up he will fetch, but he’ll go get whatever it is and then run straight back into the house to his bed and just chew on it.

  9. There are dogs I’ve met at Orphans of the Storm who are excellent at playing fetch–they find a toy and drop it at my feet and start barking if I don’t throw it right away. Others, I try to get them to chase a tennis ball and they don’t even look at it. Some dogs were just born to fetch, I guess!

  10. lindadianefeldt says:

    I always thought that refusing to fetch was proof of the Rhodesian Ridgeback’s intelligence. Although now that I have a second dog who is also brilliant, not a ridgeback, – and loves to fetch especially if you throw something in to WATER I’ll have to rethink that.

  11. Dottie and Tuffy-Cat (on the mend) says:

    I think Eko just has a thing about contact sports! Maybe too much football on t.v. with his dad. After all, when the players throw a ball, they seldom get it back. The only one they don’t seem to mind giving it to is that guy in the stripey prison shirt like Eko’s.

  12. Ellen Quilty says:

    Ridgebacks don’t do “fetch”My three year old female Ridgeback Nikki will occasionally chase the ball but prefers to run off with it and play keep away.I think she figures that if I keep throwing it away I must not want it and its hers to do with as she wants.

  13. ThatJenK says:

    Ha! That last picture is perfect!
    Moses sort of fetches in that he’ll go get the toy and take it far away from you where he can chew on it in peace. Unless we’re in the house, where he’ll happily fetch.
    Alma has tolerance for a few rounds of fetch (she’ll end the game abruptly), but she really just likes the running part – if there’s another dog to fetch, she’ll run along and hardly care whether she’s the on to retrieve or not.

  14. Emmadog says:

    My sisters and I are with Eko, chase and wrestle is the game of all games. We can’t understand how some dogs obsess about a silly ball or toy when they could play chase with us. I guess every dog has his thing!

  15. Whee piggies don’t understand fetch. The little hoomans once tried to see if whee would do it but whee just sat there with this “if-you-want-it-so-much-then-you-go-and-get-it” look ^_^

    Each to their own

    Nacho, Noah, Buddy & Basil
    xxxx

  16. harrispen says:

    Some pups just don’t get the fetching gene. Millie could care less but Walter will do anything to please.

    Cindy

  17. missaspen says:

    Aspen never understood fetch either. I would throw the ball and she would watch me pick it up and repeat. It always ended up with her walking away from me with this look on her face like I was stupid. However, if another dog was involved with the chase, she would go after it just so she cold play keep away with the other dog. Go figure!

  18. Pat Sieloff says:

    As puppies, all of our RR’s would at least chase a ball 3 or 4 times before boredom set in, but as they got older their attitude was always, “you threw it so you go get it if you really want it. Your ball is not my problem!” We’ve also noticed that our RR’s will chase other dogs who run in big circles at the park just so long before they figure out that they can choose a strategically advantageous spot and wait for the pack to run by again. They clearly see no point in expending needless energy when the pack will come back in a few seconds.

  19. Maybe us ridgeback owners should rethink this. Maybe Ridgebacks are really good at the art of not getting attached to things. Nope, I don’t need your ball, your stick, your Frisbee. I am free of attachment to objects. May have to work a bit on this theory…

  20. mollieandalfie says:

    Happy Easter to you all, we hope you get’z lot’z of Berd or Thuna wez will see’z youz

    Tuezday xxxxoooxxxx

    Mollie and Alfie

  21. OhMelvin says:

    That picture of him laying flat on the ground made me so happy!!!! I call Melvin a Labrador Receiver. He’s catches the ball but then the game is over.

  22. So sweet and simple, and yet oh so profound 🙂

  23. Clowie says:

    I’m with Eko on this one! I don’t “fetch” either. If you throw it and then change your mind about wanting it then you can fetch it!

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