The Best Fetch Player

Gucci was an incredibly athletic dog.  He could run, jump and catch, and he showed all three skills when he played his favorite game, fetch.   Up until last summer, he could play fetch with you until your arm fell off.  He always ran at full speed,  but when he returned he never wanted to give it up.  To get him to drop the ball you would have to throw another. Then  you picked up the first ball when he was retrieving the second.  You would repeat this, literally forever.  He never slowed down or got tired and always seemed disappointed when you stopped.  He would play this game with anyone,  young or old. Emma liked playing this with him when she visited in the summers.  If you threw a Frisbee and got some air under it,  he would catch it in flight!

Now it is a sad sight when you look around the back and see all the balls he used to play with just lying there, "unplayed with".  The only toy he still goes to,  and then very slowly is the Frisbee.   He only goes to it because it might contain some rain water if it is lying upside down.  This makes me wonder about the quality of the life he now has.  Some people might say,  "Wow, such an athletic dog can't be happy being barely able to stand and walk." I'm not  so sure.  Today, for example, he had a very good day.  He still could not go up or down the deck by himself.  But when outside he walked all over the yard. When in the house he followed me room to room and was able to get to his dish and eat himself.  The Summer of Gucci continues!