[PyrNet-L] BRUIN'S FAVORITE TOYS (?)

["Pyrstar" <pyrstar@pathway.net>]

Hi Everybody,                                                              
     At first I was going to respond to this thread, but got busy and read
a later post which had the suggestion I was going to make.   But, here
goes.   When Bruin was still a puppy way back when, I took two 2 liter
bottles & one milk bottle, cleaned them out and put some items in each 
plastic container.    One of the tonic bottles (pop) had three really *BIG*
nuts that screwed onto really big bolts that I'd gotten from my hubby's
work bench.   The other tonic bottle had 4 pennies in it.    And, the milk
container had 3 marbles in it.    Well, I didn't pay much attention to
Bruin playing out in his kennel, I just knew he was really happy and having
lotsa' fun.    That night, while we were sleeping, we bacame aware a couple
of times during the night that he was also having fun with the 2 liter
bottle that I'd kept for when he was in the house.   The next morning when
I finally got up--hubby has to be up too early for me--I noticed a penny on
the carpet.   Upon investigation, I saw that Bruin had gotten the cap off
the bottle and was able to crunch it some and it had lotsa' tooth holes in
it.   Luckily I was able to find the other 2 pennies.    That afternoon
when Bruin & Grizz had to go out to their kennels, I saw that Bruin had
also gotten the caps of the milk container and the other  2 liter tonic
bottle.   I didn't think too much of it when I picked up a marble and  one
of the big nuts.   I just assumed that the other nuts and marbles had
worked their way down into the gravel.  Two day later while cleaning the
kennels, specifically Bruin's kennel, I saw something shiny in his stool,
thank gawd for sunny days.   Upon closer examination I was able to identify
the object as one of the big shiny nuts that I'd put in the bottle.   Well,
I freaked out and franctically started searching through the rest of his
feces and turning over the gravel to see if I could find any of the other
objects.   I did find one marble but not in the gravel.    Since Bruin was
always a really good eater, I fixed him up some pasta with lotsa' hamburger
in the sauce for insurance.    Eventually I was able to account for all the
objects.    Ever since then I *ONLY* put broken dog biscuit pieces in the
plastic bottles and would take pliers and tighten the cap as tight as I
could.    Usually, I can *never* tighten the caps enough I've found out.   
But, I no longer have to worry about locating the objects that were inside
the bottles.   Although, I figure I'm cleaning them when I scoop the
kennels.    Just to prove how vigilant Pyr owners have gotta' be, on
another occasion when Bruin was older, I happened to be looking out the
kitchen window and saw Bruin taking a poop outside in the yard.   Then he
started scooting his butt on the ground.   He'd stop, look around at his
butt and start scooting again.   I could see something was there but I
didn't know what.    When I went out to assist him, I was horrified to see
rope hanging out of his anus.   After assisting him I could see that
*SOMEWHERE* he'd found a 20 inch piece of rope and for some unkown reason
had decided to *EAT* it.   I finally had to assume that one of the
neighborhood boys must've left the rope from one of their fishing excursion
at our pond on the back of our property (maybe to carry home their
catches).    Bruin loved the water and was always sneaking back there for a
swim.   :-/   Now, we had to monitor his trips to the pond.   He didn't
really like his freedom curtailed like that but with a Pyr like Bruin you
pretty much had to babyproof his whole world.  ;-)
Although, Bruin never tore up his squeaky toys.   He loved them and would
play with them for hours.   He had quite a collection of toys.   If they
had to be replaced, it was because he'd worn them out.  :-)   Or, my
husband mowed them while cutting the grass.   :-/   That used to happen
alot.   Oh, and Bruin was one of those rare Pyrs that would fetch!  
Unfortunately, I didn't know about *OPEN* obedience at that time.   Haven't
had a Pyr that would fetch since Bruin, oh yea, they'd run to where the
object landed and sniffed it but always they'd come back to me
empy-mouthed.   
Jean F-V
W.PA.