He would have brought back a piano if you had thrown one in.
I've heard tell that your dog, if it is the enterprising sort, will give itself a job if you do not find a job for it to do. I believe this is largely used as a warning for people that insist on trying to keep so-called "working breeds" as lapdogs, and it's a good warning for someone that thinks a Border collie is going to have the same sort of temperament as a Maltese.
I don't think Twinkie would be categorized as a "working breed" by most of the dog cognoscenti. Nevertheless, Twinkie has given himself A Job: He has decided that he is to retrieve tennis balls from Lake Michigan. This is a duty he takes remarkably seriously. Although I believe he enjoys it, there is no barking or capering as you see from other dogs engaging in the same activity. Instead the ball is regarded with a rigid, steely-eyed concentration, and the act of retrieving it is an exercise in workmanship and professionalism. Other objects thrown into the lake are Not Tennis Balls, and therefore are viewed with deep suspicion. If urged, he will retrieve said items, but it is obvious that it is under duress. If other dogs attempt to engage him, they are ignored, as they are not tennis balls and therefore unworthy of consideration.
We spent almost an hour today in the lake. I waded in as far as I could go without completely soaking myself, and threw the ball as far as I could. The only dogs going out anywhere near as far as he were actual retrievers. You can tell the actual retrievers; they clearly have greater ease in the water than Twinkie does, but I doubt very much that they are working with as much grit and determination.
I don't think Twinkie would be categorized as a "working breed" by most of the dog cognoscenti. Nevertheless, Twinkie has given himself A Job: He has decided that he is to retrieve tennis balls from Lake Michigan. This is a duty he takes remarkably seriously. Although I believe he enjoys it, there is no barking or capering as you see from other dogs engaging in the same activity. Instead the ball is regarded with a rigid, steely-eyed concentration, and the act of retrieving it is an exercise in workmanship and professionalism. Other objects thrown into the lake are Not Tennis Balls, and therefore are viewed with deep suspicion. If urged, he will retrieve said items, but it is obvious that it is under duress. If other dogs attempt to engage him, they are ignored, as they are not tennis balls and therefore unworthy of consideration.
We spent almost an hour today in the lake. I waded in as far as I could go without completely soaking myself, and threw the ball as far as I could. The only dogs going out anywhere near as far as he were actual retrievers. You can tell the actual retrievers; they clearly have greater ease in the water than Twinkie does, but I doubt very much that they are working with as much grit and determination.