Sticks and balls

Thursday evening I finally got the shepherds out to the pasture for a good romp. I got a new box of used tennis balls the other day, about 60 of them. That should keep Theo happy for a while.

Max and Jack first found sticks to carry and I was fine with that. When Max gets a ball he never returns it and he ends up chewing it to shreds. Jack doesn't really return with the ball either, but he keeps it with him although he often drops it in a water tank and then rejoins the game without a ball of his own. Theo likes to retrieve. He's not really keen on giving it up, but once he's got two in his mouth he knows he has to drop at least one in order to run after the third one when I throw it.

Max (left) and Jack (right)

Jack loves the stick, but he wants to do whatever Theo is doing, so he eventually dropped the stick and joined the ball game. Max did too, just wanting to go along with the crowd.

They may have both been playing the same game, but not
necessarily together. Max always goes his own way, but he
sticks around nearby more than he used to.

Jack with stick, Theo with two tennis balls

Eventually even Max switched to a ball.
They are easier to carry.

Jack with ball, my mower will find the stick.