How Dogs Know If A Tennis Ball Is Theirs

Dog at a Manhattan dog park catching a ball

Let’s assume, for the sake of argument, that you are a dog.

  1. If the tennis ball smells of you, especially of your breath (of dry dog food and pizza and whatever was in that puddle you thought was water), then the tennis ball is yours.
  2. If the tennis ball does not smell of you but smells of another dog (of canned dog food and hot dogs and whatever was in that puddle the other dog assumed was water), then the tennis ball is yours.
  3. If the tennis ball does not smell of dog but the yellow tuft has been removed as if it was set between a pair of front paws and torn bit by bit, tuft by tuft, away from the rubber (you think it is rubber) underneath (even if the rubber has been compromised) then the tennis ball is yours.
  4. If you have been photographed with the tennis ball, then the tennis ball is yours.
  5. If the tennis ball is first noticed mid-flight or mid-bounce or otherwise mid-motion, then until further notice (since you will be able to notice nothing but the motion anyway until the tennis ball is safely in your grasp) the tennis ball is yours.
  6. If the tennis ball is gray or any visible color of the dog rainbow (Violet, Indigo, Blue, Yellow, Red), then the tennis ball is yours.

In short, the tennis ball is yours. You are the one most able to make appropriate use of it. Nobody has ever been so joyful over the appearance of a tennis ball. Others may borrow the tennis ball for various, unimportant reasons, but in the end, the ball belongs to you. Enjoy.

Photo: Terry Bain

7 Responses to “How Dogs Know If A Tennis Ball Is Theirs”

  1. Pukanuba says:

    I have a feeling Hannah was on the computer when I wasn’t home & wrote this piece.

    She grabs a tennis ball when she sees it & it doesn’t matter who it belongs to……it’s me who has to get it from her & give it back to the big, burly man that she stole it from……& apologize for all the slobber on it & the big teeth marks in it.

    That’s my girl!!!!!!

  2. Bridgett says:

    However, I know a dog who won’t touch another dogs ball. If it has someone else’s slobber on it, he won’t touch it!

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