Everyday, before I play fetch with my 3 year old australian shepherd, Tai, he first has to find his hidden squeaker. Her is how it looks. I first open the toy trunk, where all the best toys are kept like his tug toys, squeakers (cuz brand balls) and treat dispensing toys. Next I grab a toy, if it is a squeaker, I squeak it over and over again driving my dog into a frenzy. At this point I calmly ask Tai to lay down and stay, once he is down I bring the squeaker outside and hide it in ever more difficult places. I then return to the house and release Tai from his down stay telling him to "go find your squeaker!" This is his favorite part of his favorite game. He races outdoors and makes a large circle encompassing the yard. As soon as he catches a scent he hones in to an area making smaller and smaller circles until he finds his squeaker. Now that he has his squeaker he takes a large victory lap, wagging his butt (his tail is docked) as he jogs happily around and around the yard being sure to show off his find to me, Plato and Tess. Finally, after he has exhausted himself with his glee we are ready to play fetch, his second favorite game.

The reason I am writing all this is because, last week while watching Greys Anatomy, a commercial came on that showed two people searching for their missing dog (a GSP I think) by driving around the neighborhood squeaking toys out the car window. Well, Tai who had been fast asleep at my feet jumped up at the first squeak and ran toward the TV. As the actors on the ad continued to squeak the toys he got more excited. It was pretty adorable, he looked like the RCA dog. Every time he heard a squeak his head would tilt from one side the the other. He looked so confused, trying to figure out how the TV got his squeaker. When the commercial ended and we shut off the TV I expected him to go back to laying down, but instead he ran in circles crying. He ran to the TV, he ran behind the TV he even put his paws on top of the console to get a better sniff of the TV. Fearing for the safety of my television set, I opened up the toy trunk, let him remove his most loved squeaker and do a couple of victory laps. Finally he was satisfied that all was good with the world and we were all able to go to bed. It really makes you appreciate the wonder that dogs are.

Thankfully my TV is still in one piece and he hasn't tried to "find" any squeakers in the inners of the TV.