Not a creature was stirring except maybe a Rufus! We gave him his Chrismas present early, a LARGE monkey knot on the end of looped rope. It really sounded like a great gift idea -- something he could sink his teeth into without shredding it in his nomal toy destroying 5.6 nano seconds.
As it has turned out - I don't think he will ever be able to shred it -- it is the really large monkey knot and he can't quite get his mouth around it... However, he can and does love to grab the looped rope end and shake his head back and forth ---- and then let go! Um, a flying knot of corded rope is HEAVY and really hurts when it catches you unaware on the hip bone! (Not to mention, leaves an ugly purple bruise!)
He thinks this is great fun, and repeats it, well.... repeatedly! We are working on getting him to play with it mostly in the kitchen where there is a nice sized open space. Fortunately, he doesn't seem to care where we let him toss it around, so that part is working.
I do wish someone could explain to me how he can whip that sucker back and forth and NOT konk himself in the head and knock himself out. So far the only injuries are to us and an occasional item that gets knocked over. It is also nice that he has such a great treat drive, that when necessary, I can distract him with a treat filled kong -- so we have time to treat our bruises.
Rufus is such a love. He will happily try to climb into your lap and give you a hug (and kiss) if he catches you sitting on the floor, all 80+ pounds of him! And he seems especially excited if you are trying to wrap presents and there is wrapping paper and boxes sitting on the floor near you. It adds to the excitement of showing you how much he loves you if he has to, um.... remove, all the obstacles that you must have placed in his way to make it more fun!
On the training front, he has proven himself the super smart dog that he is and now we all can take him out for fetch (or as we call it, "Bring Back") enjoyably. He has learned that it's just as fun to Bring Back the toy and gently drop it at our feet as it was to run us down and try to grab it back out of our hands before we could throw it again. He is a cute adorable puppy in an 80 lb. body, and he is learning the difference. With the exception of the monkey ball toy, he has also brought his new lessons of 'gentle playing' inside as well as outside. So despite my true stories of a gallumping Rufus, he does actually play nice in the house with us.
He unfortunately hasn't figured out that our cat's do not understand that the huge lumbering dog just wants to be friends and play - the toned down playtime has not yet extended to the cats, which needless to say has not endeared him to them... At least we have been able to determine he is not trying to eat them, just play with them. We now just have to figure out how to get him to be more gentle -- and of course at this point, I think the cats will be needing therapy to get over the shock of Rufus bounding after them with great abandon! (When he manages to sneak past the gate).
This Christmas holiday has definitely been made better by the fostering of Rufus! He has brought laughter and love into our house. A little extra work too, but you never get anything for free - and the rewards of watching him learn new things is, well.... WOW! What more can I say!
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