Owner’s Perspective

You know how you have those days where you feel overwhelmed, and you just want to sleep off the mental fatigue? Well…that happened to me. That’s what I told myself. That’s what I told my partner. That’s what I whispered to my dog, Buster, as we trudged in after a long day at work.

You see, today was the designated Fetch day. The day I usually come home early and we spend an hour at the park, Buster chasing his favorite rubber ball until he finally conks out, exhausted but happy. Well, not tonight. Tonight, we were doing nada (okay, okay…maybe one belly rub).

Buster followed me patiently, his tail wagging in hopeful bursts just in case. Then his sensitive snout sniffed inside my bag, a bag that always holds a fragrant rubber ball on Free-Fetch Friday. The sniffing stopped. His tail dropped. At first, I thought there was some problem with his nose, until Buster looked straight into my eyes. The legendary “I thought you loved me” gaze.

That last look got to me. I felt more deflated than he looked. But what can you do when life decides to put you on the rack, even if it means breaking a well-loved routine?

Buster’s Ball Blues

Let me tell you about my day. Every Friday, my human and I have a date. A Fetch date. I get to run after my beloved ball in the park, free and wild. Today was supposed to be THE day.

I watched her coming from afar, my tail like a helicopter propeller. Then she walked through the door. Not a minute was wasted in sniffing out my beloved ball from her bag. BUT IT WASN’T THERE.

I sniffed again. Maybe it was hidden under something? No. NOTHING. NADA. ZIP. ZILCH. Do you understand what this means? She “forgot” our Fetch day. Forgot it!!!

I tried to show her I was hurt. I looked at her with THE eyes. The ones that spell out ‘I thought you loved me’. I turned around, my tail drooping, and walked into my bed with the weight of betrayal heavy on my shoulders.

The Happy Ending

As I watched Buster curl up on his bed, the guilt gnawed harder. Time for damage control, I decided.

I tiptoed to the closet where I had a secret stash of Buster’s favorite vinyl balls from The Hungry Puppy. Buster had discovered these last Christmas and had been inseparable from them since.

An idea popped in my head and I stuffed a few of them in a puzzle toy. Buster loved that toy, an IQ treat ball. The moment I picked up the puzzle toy, Buster’s ears perked up. When he realized there were balls in it, his tail started wagging uncontrollably.

He pounced on it, frantically working to get the balls out. Each successful retrieval followed by triumphant tail wags and victory laps around the living room. While not exactly Fetch, the sight of Buster frolicking around the house was pure joy.

Crisis averted. Friday Fetch achieved (even if it was indoors). Dog no longer hates me (for now).

Remember, The Hungry Puppy is not just for the regular kibble and treats – it’s also perfect for those ‘Grab It Now’ moments. Check out their collection of IQ treat balls and vinyl balls. Fix a potentially sad situation or simply make your pup’s day.

• 🦴 Vinyl balls – perfect for everyday fun
• 🎁 IQ treat balls – for the puzzler pup
• 🏪 In-store shopping — Bring your pup for the full experience
• 💚 Lots of love — We get it. We’re dog people too.