Oh, Alyssa, this made me smile a little. Why? you ask? Because when we had Gracie, our much beloved, sweet as candy but not terribly bright Great Dane, we finally stopped trying to teach her to catch a ball - or even food - because we figured someone was gonna report us for "dog abuse." You could throw a piece of hot dog so accurately that it bounced off her snout, and it still never occurred to her to open her mouth. In fact, once it fell on the floor, we'd have to point at it and say "get the treat, Gracie, go on!"

A true animal friend knows his or her pet, and treats them the way the pet is happiest.