Project 52 - Week 27: Favorite Toy

That "go ahead, make my day" look you see in the photo above belongs to our dog, Burton.  Burton is deaf and has been since birth.  You would never know it if you met him.  His constant companion is this orange ball.  We have a drawer full of new ones, in case he loses this one.  He carries it everywhere with him, sneaks it in the house, and can be found sleeping with it.  He likes to challenge all of our other dogs to try and get it.  Just like in this shot.  No one ever does.

Burton can get some serious air when you throw the orange ball.  There always has to be one bounce. He jumps up to grab the ball out of the air as it is rising from the bounce.  We've tried substituting many things for this orange ball.  He won't have it.  It's the orange ball or nothing.

When an orange ball goes to that big ball place in the sky, Burton knows when the ball is a new one.  There is a transition period where he won't really play with the ball for a few days.  Then his need to play fetch kicks in and he will start bringing the orange ball around again.  He knows how to hand it to you right in your hand so you can throw it for him, and also how to drop it on the ground when you show him the sign for "drop it."

Lilah and Billie will sometimes steal the new ball, because they know this might be their only chance to play with it, but as soon as the new ball becomes "Burton's ball," he very rarely shares it.  We do have some rules about the ball in the house, but every once in a while, we pretend we don't see him take it inside, and then find him sleeping with it....sometimes still in his mouth.  He gives it up to each of us readily when we ask for it.

For a few more photos of some of our other dogs with their favorite toys, watch the mini slideshow below.  Then head over to Trina Bauer Photography to check out more favorite toy photos, and follow the blog loop until you are back here again.