h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Scooter - this dog is not so much a one person dog. His preference with with whoever's got the ball. His great love, possibly his only love is chasing balls. And he doesn't care who throws them. The only problem is that he won't actually give you the ball to throw. You have to pretend you don't care for a while and eventually he'll drop it. He might drop it where you can conveniently pick it up, but maybe not, but it doesn't matter. Once he's dropped it he expects it to be thrown.

He seems to have a slight preference for my father to throw the ball. My dad throws it harder and it's less predictable as to where it goes. Scooter likes that. When it's time to rest he comes into my room and sleeps. He doesn't rest much. Or he wouldn't if we'd throw the ball continuously.

He has passing interest in other toys. He does recognise them as dog toys. When I bring something home from the pet store he'll pull it out of the bag if I'm not looking even if it isn't a ball. I got him a tennis ball with ropes hanging out of it. I thought he'd like that. He did pull it out of the bag, but got bored with it pretty quick and went back to demanding that the bouncier ball be thrown.

[Amy P]

Are you time-sharing my dog Harry is also ball-obsessed. Although if I don't take a ball he'll find a stick. And since I won't throw sticks, eventually he gives up - on me, and finds someone who will. I then have to put his lead on to get him away from them, otherwise he'll follow them home. Certainly puts me in my place

Scooter sounds like quite a character.

Deb

Harry sounds like quite a character as well. Shel would occasionally follow other people home. Mostly cause they had a dog he particularly liked.