The story
The yellow ball bounced once, slipped around the hedge and vanished. Faye, a red-brown dachshund with very long ears, stopped halfway through a happy run. The garden had swallowed her favourite ball.
It was a small enclosed garden, with low green hedges and a winding stone path. Faye knew the path well. But the ball had gone around a corner much faster than she could follow. She chose the left turn and hurried after it.
At the first bend she heard a tiny squeak. Faye froze. It came from her right, through the hedge. She could not squeeze between the branches, so she backed up and tried the next path instead.
The stones felt cool beneath her paws. A pale flowerpot stood at the end of the path. Faye sniffed its rim, then the ground behind it. No ball. She looked back towards her person, who was waiting near the gate with one hand resting on the closed latch.
The squeak came again, softer now. Faye tipped her head. She had been listening for the ball in front of her, but the sound was behind the pot. She circled slowly, following the edge of the hedge until a yellow patch appeared beneath a leaf.
There it was. The ball had rolled under the pot's little stand and become trapped against a flat stone. Faye nudged it once. It squeaked. She nudged it again, and it came free with a small bounce.
Faye held the ball gently and took the short path back. Her person crouched down and offered an open hand. Faye placed the ball there, then sat with a hopeful look that needed no words.
This time the throw was a little softer. The yellow ball rolled along the open path where Faye could see every turn. She collected it, brought it back and settled beside her person on the warm stones.
The garden was still full of corners, and Faye still liked to explore them. But for now, the best place was right beside the person who was ready to play again. GroomNear. Local care, happier dogs. Explore more original dog stories on GroomNear.
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