A Crowd of Puppies and Only One Tennis Ball. Negotiations Are Underway.
One tennis ball, a whole crowd of puppies, and a very important negotiation underway. A cluster of black and tan German Shepherd puppies has piled up on rumpled blankets near a bright window, and every nose in the group is aimed at a single fuzzy yellow-green ball. One pup has his mouth wrapped around it, another presses a paw on top, and the rest look on with focused, determined expressions. A basket of laundry, a pair of boots, a small plant on the sill and a metal canister sit in the background of this busy, sunlit corner.
That fierce interest in a ball is no surprise. German Shepherds tend to have strong play and prey drives, and many love retrieving games. Fetch is a terrific way to burn energy and build a bond, and it can be used as a reward during training. For puppies, keep sessions short and throws low to protect growing joints, and play on soft surfaces when possible. Choose balls sized so they cannot be swallowed or lodged in the throat; as a shepherd grows, a ball that once fit perfectly can become a hazard. Some dogs also wear down their teeth chewing on fuzzy balls, so ball time is best kept as supervised play.
With several puppies and one toy, a few extras on hand help keep the peace and give everyone a turn.
For the moment, though, possession is nine-tenths of the law, and somebody is not letting go.
