To Play is the Thing!

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I think that all humans should consider living with a dog. It makes life a lot more fun. My humans are a lot of fun to play with. I love to jump on my Grammy's door. It makes a loud pop and that makes her jump off her bed every time. So funny!

My Mama is the most fun to play with because she has the most time to play with us. Our favorite game is called "Sock". She takes Daddy's old socks (the holes with the holes from his talons) and ties a knot in them so that we know which socks are ours. I like to pick these socks up and jump on her lap and then stare at her until she takes the hint.

Most of the time she fusses, "I don't wanna play sock!" Well, everybody knows that that's just silliness. Mama loves to play sock too. Eventually she throws it away from her, after I pick it up and drop it on her laptop a time or two.  Coco and I run as fast we can to see who gets the sock first. It's usually me. Coco is good at running long distances, but I'm a great sprinter.

I grab the sock, snarl at Coco in superiority, then bring the sock back to Mama. Sometimes Coco takes one end of the sock and we play tug of war. That's my favorite! Coco is super-strong, but my jaws lock down tight.

Playing is the absolute most fun thing in the world to do. Next to eat. And also bark. But playing is definitely the tops. We also like to play ball or chase apples that fall from trees. We have a pretty big yard, so there is always something to sniff or dig at. My Mama tells me I'm a lucky boy for having suck a big yard. She says some dogs got no yards at all. And that makes me sad.

Coco and I always have so much fun playing that I can't imagine not playing.

My Mama used to work with a group called second Chance Animal Rescue. Unfortunately, it closed down before I was even born, but my Mama tells us all about the dogs she used to work with their. They were Pit Bulls and Rotts and Chows. She says these doggies are considered "Bully Breeds". The only Bully I know is a big, drooling chocolate Lab named Coco.

Mama says that a lot of people were scared of these dogs. But she says that these dogs were even more scared of people because people used to make these dogs fight each other. I thought to myself, Well, Coco and I fight all the time. But then I found out that people made these people really fighting each other, like until someone was hurt or dying. And to top it off, THEY DID IT FOR MONEY! And THEN they didn't even get the doggies a vet or even any treats. They just left them to die!

When my Mama worked with these dogs, she took them outside to play every day. And sometimes these dogs fought each other. that's what they were trained to do. But most of the time, these "Bullies" were so happy to be out of that life, so happy to be well-cared for, that they just rolled in the grass. Laid in the sunshine. Were just grateful for their freedom.

I am grateful for my freedom as well. Glad that I have a big yard and my sister and humans to play with. I hope that one day all dogs know the happiness I feel.

I hope that they get the chance to just play.