Tazz got a New Toy

Subtitle (However gross, but true nonetheless):

"Party 'til you Puke"

I blame Kathie for this. Kathie's my Joysey Colleague/Partner in Crime. She's come and stayed with us a couple of times and she's met the quadrupeds... And Tazz is particularly "Memorable!"

Tazz has a *serious* problem with Tennis Ball Addiction (so much so, she actually experiences the DT's when we take the ball away from her - and goes into full-blown depression for days afterward!). Kathie sent me a link - a couple of years ago - to this site: Go Dog Go. They've got some simply hysterical videos of the toy in action!

My initial reaction was "How COOL!" But then I saw the price...................

Tazz doesn't get tennis balls anymore. She just gets too worked-up over 'em. And she destroys anything else that we give to her (actually, she "skins" tennis-balls, too). Pretty much, if any company is advertising a toy that is INDESTRUCTIBLE, well, they need to contract Tazz to confirm that fact!

The closest we've come to an indestructible toy is this: Tire Toy - and even this isn't indestructible - it just takes her several weeks (as opposed to minutes) to destroy it!

Anyway, I finally broke down and bought the damned thing at Buy Go-Dog-Go. Turns out there was an excess of orders/shortage of stock, and everything was on back-order, so they were offering discounts if you were willing to wait (which is about as close as I'm gonna get to finding this thing for less $$!). So I went-ahead and ordered it.

It arrived today - and Tazz abso-freaking-lutely LOVES it!!!

It's basically just a low-powered tennis-ball launcher - with a bucket on top for holding extra balls (up to 15). It also comes with a Remote Control (which'll tickles Roger's whole X-Y Chromosome thing!). The launch distance is adjustable (I've left it at 15'). And it has an "Automatic Launch" setting. All told, it's a really cool Dog-Toy!

Of course, the thing is waaaay bigger (and taller) than Tazz. So I set it up on the lawn, next to the porch in front of the shed which, conveniently, has an AC electrical outlet (although it will run on batteries as well). Tazz is gonna need the porch in order to be able to drop the retrieved balls into the bucket (Whenever we reach the point where we can set it on Auto-Pilot)...

Presently, we're running with three tennis balls. Three dogs, three balls, right?

Well, when I first set-it-up, it was pure pandemonium! Three dogs attacking the toy simultaneously (and stealing tennis balls) was a bit much for me! So I ended up locking Annie and Dynah in the house so Tazz and I could have some One-On-One time.

She's getting the general jist of it - and knows not to steal the balls from the track (That was a BIG hurdle!). It makes *some* noise ("hum" preceding a "THWONK!"), so we've got the whole Pavlovian Response thing kickin'. The "Challenge" (not surprisingly) is to get her to drop the ball in the bucket. She's never been fond of giving up the ball (or ANY toy, for that matter!). The bucket is particularly puzzling to her, because when the ball is dropped in, it swirls around and :::gasp::: disappears! (Scary Stuff - for a little canine mind!!!). So we're still working on the "Drop it [in the Bucket]" command...

When she does (albeit - with assistance!), she's rewarded with a fresh "Hummm-THWONK!!!" and a tennis ball arcing nicely through the air (Boy, she's got "Reverse" down-pat!!!)

We've had three "training sessions" so far. Session #1 was fine (before their dinner). Afterward, she ran up to me and licked my knees gratefully before - literally - flopping down and passing out on the floor!

Session #2: She got herself sooooo worked up, she was literally nauseous - eating grass frantically (I refused to let her back into the house 'til she'd finished her Binge 'N Purge).

Session #3: I wanted to skip - but Rog came home and wanted to see the new toy. That was a short session but, evidently, she's forgotten how overly-excited (and sick) she got last time 'cuz she's whining at the back door, begging for more!!!

I suspect Tazz is gonna Sleep Like the Dead tonight! I just hope she doesn't go through DT's again!!!

Anyway - Tazz gives it a Big Dewclaw's-Up! If you're a Dog-Owner and in the market to drop a C-Note and a Half, we highly recommend this product!!!