King of the Kong

It’s a good thing our dog Jake was born with a good sense of smell because it’s serving him well in his old age.  I am convinced that it’s only by scent that he’s able to find his Kong these days.

Jake’s Kong is like his pacifier.  It’s always been that way.  There was never a need to fill it with peanut butter.  He just wanted to hang one off his right canine tooth, the one that has been worn down by holding the Kong in his mouth.

In his youth, he could catch the Kong on the bounce.  We could do 10 throws in just a couple of minutes.

But now it takes him a lot longer.  His cloudy eyes don’t see the trajectory any longer.  He no longer hears the resounding thud as it hits the ground.



So instead he makes large circles until he somehow manages to pick up the latest scent and locate it, which he inevitably does unless by some cruel fate it goes over the fence. All the while his tail is wagging like crazy.



There are times when he would rather lie there and chew on it or eat grass instead of bringing it back.



But when I start to go inside, he’s always there begging for just one more throw.



Sometimes I get a souvenir of our Kong-throwing.  It was interesting to see the rice and carrots that are in his home-made food.  I could detect no dog-poop odor.  But then maybe my sense of smell is diminishing.



Not everything lasts for a lifetime.  But I can guarantee Jake will be attached to his Kong until his dying day.