We all remember Doc Brown and his pal Marty McFly with the infamous flux capacitor which allowed them to go Back to the Future. It occurred to me recently there’s a bit of that whole ‘Back to the Future” thing going on around the Ranch.
Even though he’s rounding the corner quickly toward 11, Sam has suddenly readopted some definitely ‘Back to the Future’ behavior. Playtime, toys and puppy pouncing.
Sam has never been much into toys. Years ago when the sheep dogs were still with us, I collected a bunch of those Audubon stuffed birds with the realistic bird chirps and squawks. Frankly I adored them as much if not more than the dogs did; the memories from those days still elicit smiles recalling when they would proudly strut around tossing their heads with the birds in their mouths…but conveniently just out of my reach. It was as though they were taunting me to engage in a game of keep-away which I happily did. Recently I discovered the basket they have been stashed in while organizing my studio. I did a quick inventory of what still had its chirper in tact when Sam came in and promptly pulled a couple out of the room. I figured he’d probably go for the eyes and eviscerate them ASAP which has been his MO in the past. To my surprise he carried them off to the living room to toss in the air and then do a very puppy-like pounce on top of them, often making them squeak or chirp. The noise startled him and he looked quite puzzled at the noise but he’d toss it again and re-pounce and slap paws on the hardwood floors. Clearly this pup has figured out he is quite a wizard to make those long forgotten slobber-infested toys make such a strange but wonderful sound. It was hilarious particularly since he’s never expressed any interest in playing with toys before. His favorites seem to be a stuffed kitty, an adorable hedgehog and the Audubon chickadee.
Sam has been pouncing and playing with them often during the day now so maybe…just like Doc and Marty, this pup went Back to the Future too in suddenly liking toys. Has your “one point twenty-one jigowatt” pup discovered some lost toy and taken an interest in it?
Live, love, bark! <3
Silly boy. 🙂
Since Callie went to heaven, Shadow has pretty much lost interest in their common toys – the ones I kept out of Ducky’s reach – except the ChuckIt! balls and the nylabone barbells. It breaks my heart sometimes.
You just never can tell what gets into their little brains. Who knows, they both might go back to the toys. Fingers crossed and with Callie ‘guiding’ them, it just might happen. <3
Glad Sam has decided to play with the toys. Maybe there is hope for Tippy after all.
If Sam can, anything is possible!
We have not seen one of those birdies in our toy pen and will speak to our pawrents!
Your Pals,
Murphy & Stanley
Oh, you guys will love them!
That’s adorable. And I love those Audubon birds too. I never thought of them as a dog toy.
Sometimes something just strikes our fancy. It’s great that Sam found a toy he loves. Maybe he didn’t play before because you hadn’t given him the one he was waiting for all along. 🙂
We originally got one for us but it became apparent the sheepies lives them as much as we did! Sam always had access to the basket of toys, he just never showed any interest until now. He’s such a strange dog!
Doggie dementia?
Sam and Cole, two of a kind. Cole has lots of those birds but… he loves them…to death. He plays, and chirps, until something makes a metallic crack! Game on, now he chews it til it shatters, probably in his mind he’s breaking bones for marrow. Then I better get it away from him before anybody else gets hurt. I pull out the shattered box, replace it with a squeaker and watch him at his new game. Get the replacement squeaker out of the toy ASAP. Then discard the squeaker. Job done!
LeeAnna
Pawsome idea! I’ve ditched so many squeaker toys over the years, I probably should have bought stock in the company that makes those Audubon birds! Me thinks Cole and Sam might be ‘birds of a feather.’ 🙂