Sarrah loved to chase after a thrown ball in the confines of the backyard.  She typically returned with it, occasionally just close enough to make a high speed teasing pass, but most of the time right back to me.  However, she insisted on a contest of wills and strength, you had to take the ball from her all the while with a closed mouth growl from down deep to spice up the game.  She learned to add leverage by lifting her front feet, twist her head quickly from side to side and thrust backward in attempts to break my grip from the slippery wet ball.  She did very rarely simply drop the ball, but the real fun for her was in the struggle.

Since tug-of-war was her preference, I got a rope, not just any, one from a pet super store.  This task specific two foot long green and white rope had three large knots for doing battle.  Sarrah loved this rope!  We got to where I could swing her around, completely off the ground, growling the entire time.  Laughing caused deeper louder growls, adding audible competition to our sport.  Our record was five times around, before one of us was too dizzy to continue.  She would also grab one end and run with it, shaking the rope around like a medieval weapon, occasionally very effective accidental weapon.  Many times I would throw the rope for her version of “fetch”.

Occasionally we would play rough, wrestling on the floor or in the grass.  Sarrah would act ‘all tough’ growl and play bite, gingerly but with a firm hold.  At times she’d run away crazy eyed and then straight back at me in a frenzy, raise up on her hind legs with her front legs spread like a praying mantis, mouth open wide.  Sometimes jumping to kick at me in some kind of canine Kung Fu that she had come up with.

On occasion one of us would inadvertently get hurt a little, but it was all in good fun.