The Quiet Game

The Quiet Game. 
Chester and Melissa played a new game during therapy time this past week. Denisha and Peg came up with this great game.

Here's the game.
Melissa stands on her own, balancing.
Chester sits quietly, NO barking allowed.
Who can last the longest.

This is a no brainer.

Melissa will win.  We all know it.  She can outlast Chester any day.

You see, when Chester thinks Melissa is going to throw the ball, he gets really excited.  Really.  So excited he wiggles and barks.  Melissa sort of makes him wait a long time.  She smiles.  She gives him the hand signal for sit.  And waits til he sits.  HE BARKS.  He sits. She giggles.  HE BARKS. (everyone in the building knows it's Chester day). Peg says, "Throw the ball!"  Melissa smiles.  HE BARKS.  She throws the ball.

This goes on repeatedly....

And so of course, we know Melissa will win this game.

Melissa stands.
Chester sits.
They stare at each other.
Denisha says, "ready ....begin"

Chester makes not a peep.
For a really long time he makes not a peep.
We can't believe it.
After a very long time, Melissa cracks up, loses her balance and Chester wins Round 1.

Second round.
Ready - set - go.
Denisha hands Melissa the ball.
"That's not fair!" Peg says "Chester will lose for sure on this one."
Melissa pretends that she will throw the ball, but of course she doesn't. 
Chester looks at the ball, then at Melissa.
Not a peep.
NOT A PEEP.
He smiles.
Melissa smiles....  And can't hold in the laughter. She falls into her therapist's arms giggling.
Chester wins Round 2.

We all look at each other. 
It's like he knows. Peg says.
I had no idea he was so competetive :-)  I respond.

Round 3 went really similar to round 1 and 2. 
Only, this time we all tried a little harder to get that hound to bark.
Not a peep.
Then we all went down in laughter. 
All except Chester, he just sat quietly.

After the game was over, just for fun, we decided to play fetch again.
You know...just to see if he would bark.
Melissa stood and held the ball.
Yup, you guessed it, he barked.

How'd he know???????????