DOGGIE DOG BLOG

Written and Posted By: Cindy Jacobs (Cyd)

“My dog isn’t acting normal, something is wrong with him” I have been hearing this out of my husbands mouth about Parker for weeks now. I would say “nothing is wrong with that dog” yet he was sure something was wrong. Parker wasn’t bugging my husband as normal, he seemed depressed, so he was sure Parker needed to go to the vet. Well I knew what the problem was, so the following day while Bob was at work, I gave Parker his kong ball, he had not had his ball for over 3 weeks as I had not gotten it back out for him, last time taken away from him by Bob.
This dog is a riot to watch with this toy, and it was the only toy left that he was allowed to have inside the house. Well Parker annoys Bob so much with this ball, Bob takes it away from him, I would normally give it back to him during the day while Bob was working, which I had not done for over 3 weeks. Parker puts this whole ball in his mouth crushing it a bit and makes some of the strangest sounds using his tongue creating a suction and release sound, he also has a humming noise he makes almost like you would think of a cat purring. If a dog comes close to him while he is playing with his ball that purring turns to a whining growl noise, also very funny. Parker doesn’t bug me with that kong ball, when I play ball it is training/working and he also loves that, but I am the initiator, by saying “want to go work” it is a tennis ball I use, not the kong. He has a game he plays displaying his dominance over any other dog in the house that dare take his toy, yet he will permit it to be taken from him now and then, but then, applies gradual pressure to the back of their necks until they release his kong. It is actually very funny to watch them and how they play. When Candy (our female dog) actually gets the kong she prances through the house like saying “nanner nanner nanner I got the ball”. Once she lays down with it.. that pressure on the back of her neck starts till she releases that kong! Parker will actually watch them enjoy his kong for a while first before he does this, you can’t help but laugh, but they all know how the game is played.
When Bob is home, the game changes, Parker will, if Bob is in his chair, bring him the ball and drop it in his lap, then sit and stare at the ball waiting… then the game begins. Bob tries to ignore him, tells him no he doesn’t want to play ball, then flips the ball out of his lap, and the procedure begins all over again. Sometimes Bob will move real slow, or just touch the ball with one finger, or make a sudden move for the ball and he laughs at Parkers reactions, but the end result is the same, Bob ends up flipping the kong out of his lap, this continues until Parker has annoyed Bob to much. Parker seems to know when Bob is about to take that ball away from him, and he will stop, or it appears he will stop…then lays down at the foot of the recliner and manages to leave the ball under the foot rest so Bob can’t put the foot rest down to get out of the chair, or if the foot rest is down, Parker will wedge the ball half under the foot rest, so Bob can’t put the foot rest up! It is really funny to me but I laugh inside not out loud. It just amazes me how he will do these same things over and over again until the end result is the kong ball is taken away and put up.
While Bob is at his computer…he tells Parker no, he doesn’t want to play ball, no flipping happens, when Bob is at the computer he is trying to read. Then Parker will lay between the legs of his chair chewing on this kong making those strange noises, bumping it against the chair wheels or again wedge it so Bob’s chair can’t move or he will all the sudden flip it over the legs of the chair till it is under the desk. Parker then stands up with head down staring at the ball till Bob will move and get the ball for him. After Bob gets irritated with that happening Parker moves his ball to beside Bob’s desk in the corner and will stare and whine till Bob gets up and gets the ball for him… then the kong is taken away and once again put up.
Bob and Parker have this relationship that is funny to watch. Parker wants to be involved in anything Bob is doing. If Bob is working outside stacking wood… Parker takes wood off the stack. If Bob is trimming trees and making a burn pile, Parker will steal wood from Bob’s burn pile and make his own pile. If Bob is digging a hole in the garden, Parkers nose is down in the hole waiting to chase any dirt that might be tossed. If Bob is pulling weeds, Parker is there to catch them when they are tossed aside. These are the things Bob actually loves and laughs at about the personality of Parker but it can get annoying.

The whole purpose of this writing was this: If you think there is something wrong with your dog, yet he has a good appetite, isn’t sick… then look to yourself, and ask what have you changed. Chances are it is something we changed in their life, not them.
Parker had his ball all weekend, and at one point I said to Bob seeing him annoyed… “do you want me to put the ball up” his answer was NO, he liked having his dog back, and he himself missed the laughter in watching the behavior of his dog, and the fact that the dog wanted to involve Bob in all that was fun to him, after all, Bob is the only one in the house Parker willingly, continually takes his kong ball to. That is how important Bob is to Parker, never any growling there.