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Woman Realizes Her Energetic Dog Has Been Secretly Playing Fetch with the Neighbors

Every dog has its own take on fetch. Some couldn't care less, while others are totally obsessed and will play non-stop until their humans step in to call it off.

There are a few reasons why dogs love fetch. For one, they're naturally inclined to chase moving objects, whether it's a squirrel or a car. Plus, dogs have an instinct to bring back their “prey” to the den, which is basically what fetch mimics.

“After a hunt, wolves will carry their prey back to their den to share with the pack, essentially ‘retrieving’ dinner for everyone,” explains Katelyn Schutz, a Certified Professional Dog Trainer. “Fetch is just a modern, playful variation of that ‘prey-carrying’ behavior.”

Playing fetch also activates the reward centers in a dog’s brain, which is why some dogs like Bounder, Brittney Reynolds’ black Labrador, can't get enough of it.

“He’s obsessed,” Reynolds shared. “He’ll play fetch until I make him stop.”

@brittneygoes
He brings it back to the edge of the fence. #blacklab #doglover #SeeHerGreatness

Bounder’s enthusiasm for the game led him to approach Reynolds’ neighbor when she wasn't available to play. Reynolds discovered the secret fetch sessions when she went outside to see why Bounder was barking and found him asking the neighbor to throw the ball.

“The neighbor was sitting on his patio with the ball gun on the table, and Bounder was staring him down, barking to play,” Reynolds said. “I tried to tell him to stop barking, but the neighbor got up and started shooting the ball for him. It was adorable. I thanked him for playing with my boy and found out they’d been doing it for a while.”

The neighbor, who has a dog named Layla, also uses a ball gun to play fetch.

Reynolds shared a video of Bounder and the neighbor playing together, which quickly went viral, racking up over 6.8 million views. “Just found out my neighbor and my dog have been playing fetch together over the fence,” she captioned it.

The heartwarming video drew comments from people who adored the bond between Bounder and the neighbor. “Your dogs have new grandparents and they have a reason to stay active,” one commenter wrote. Another added, “You are a great neighbor and humanitarian. Thank you.”

@brittneygoes
Caught the neighbor playing with Bounder again. He looks forward to this. #goodneighbors #doglovers #Totinos425

Reynolds expressed her gratitude for her neighbor’s kindness, saying, “I’m a huge dog lover, and it always makes me happy to see others treat dogs so well.”

She added, “Our dogs are our family, and you can tell a lot about a person by how they treat animals.” Reynolds posted a follow-up video, showing that the over-the-fence fetch game is still going strong.

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