Owner’s Perspective

I absolutely intended to play fetch with Buster after dinner. Really, I did. I got home from work, made dinner, and sat down on the couch to decompress. “Just one episode,” I told myself. “After one episode of my show, it’ll be playtime.” But, you guessed it, one episode turned into two, and then an entire season. Before I knew it, my intention to play fetch with Buster had dissolved in a binge-watching spree.

Call it a moment of weakness. Or laziness. Or just plain human error. I never meant to rob Buster of our favorite evening exercise. But the draw of a hanging cliffhanger was just too strong. That’s what I told myself. That’s what I told my soggy throw toy. That’s what I sheepishly told Buster, who had been waiting patiently, with his tail wagging expectantly and his hopeful eyes—which quickly turned disappointed—never leaving me.

You know those eyes. The “You promised fetch and now my existence is in crisis” eyes. Every respectful dog owner knows those eyes. The sad gaze, the drooping ears, the tennis ball rolling gently from his mouth to my feet. Like pouring salt on the wound of my betrayal. It wasn’t the happiest hour in our home.

Buster’s Belief Betrayed

Sitting. Waiting. With a perfect view of the park, ears alerted to any signal, I had been anticipating the long-awaited game of fetch. THE DISH was cleared. The TIME had arrived. The tennis ball fetched from its super-secret hiding place. All was set for an exhilarating evening of chasing and retrieving.

My eyes were GLUED to the hand holding the remote for any movement, any indication that signaled playtime. His promise played on repeat in my head – “evening fetch, buddy”. The words were filled with hope, excitement and everything beautiful. Until it wasn’t.

Then came the BETRAYAL. Clad in ‘do not disturb’ attire, eyes glued to the ‘bright-noise-box’, the master was LOST. The fetch promise? FORGOTTEN. My tail dropped as the heart-wrenching reality seeped in. This was NOT the evening fetch he had promised.

But I didn’t crumble under betrayal. I am no victim, but a survivor. I let out a long, determined sigh. A sigh that, for the uninitiated, screams “I’m suffering and you should be aware but NOT feel guilty, okay maybe a little.”

Redemption: A Tail Wagging Resolution

The Happy Ending

The long, dramatic sighing did something to me. My heart constricted. Seeing Buster’s disappointment and despair was too much – I couldn’t bear it. Guilt surged through me and I hit “pause” on my show. I said, “All right, Buster. Let’s go play fetch”. I quickly threw on my hat, fetched a brand new KONG Squeaky Tennis Ball from my secret stash, and headed towards the door.

The KONG Squeaky Tennis Ball – it was the PERFECT solution. Buster was obsessed with it, indeed any dog would be. It bounces like a regular tennis ball but has an extra surprise – it squeaks! There’s nothing that screams excitement and game readiness to a dog like a seemingly normal object with a hidden talent.

His tail began thumping the floor as soon as he spotted the squeezy ball. The sheer JOY in his bulldog-jowled face was a sight to behold. The moment we set foot in the park and I threw the ball, Buster came back to life. The way he darted after that ball brought laughter to my guilt-stung heart and somehow made it all okay again.

Crisis averted. Faith restored. Dog no longer hates me (but does now control the remote when we have fetch promises to keep).

Are your fetch games becoming too monotonous? A KONG Squeaky Tennis Ball (or two, who are we kidding?) from The Hungry Puppy could be just the thing you need to revive them. Free local delivery available, or you can stop by with your pup for a spontaneous visit!

• 🎾 KONG Squeaky Tennis Balls for endless fun
• 🌳 On-site Dog Park — invite your dog’s friends too
• 🏪 In-store shopping — Bring your pup for the full experience
• 💚 Lots of love — We get it. We’re dog people too.