Pets

FAIL.

FAIL.

We try, over and over. Murray can’t catch.

FAIL.

He just opens his mouth and hopes the ball will end up in there somehow.

He is however, justifiably afraid of Italian stereotype toys.

Afraid of Pizza Papa

It’s OK, Murray. We’re all afraid of Pizza Papa.

Sources & Paint ColorsNeed design help? Let's work together.

You Might Also Like...

  • cindy k
    June 5, 2008 at 6:28 am

    those photos are fantastic + funny. oh, if failure always looked so cute, it wouldn’t be so bad.

  • Erica
    June 5, 2008 at 6:32 am

    Such great pictures! We tried for months with our puppy when we first got her (she was 13 months old when we got her)to get her to catch … and finally one day she just caught it like “Ain’t no thing.” She was probably about 18 months when she started to catch. Good luck! He’s a cute little playful fellow! Try tossing some treats at him too, any opportunity for him to try to catch something! We also count 1,2,3 and then toss.

  • alivicwil
    June 5, 2008 at 6:38 am

    one of our dogs is good at catching balls.
    the other runs away from them!

    Murray’s very cute.

  • Julia
    June 5, 2008 at 7:33 am

    These images made me laugh so hard! Thank you for posting!

  • Sam
    June 5, 2008 at 7:42 am

    My do Lucy- she could not catch either. She did the same thing- open mouth and wish… snowballs on the other hand, were a whole different matter. Those she could catch.

  • Five Dot Design
    June 5, 2008 at 8:20 am

    try a racquetball ball- they’re smaller and your furry murray might have better luck- it looks like his yapper is a little too small! at least yours doesn’t duck when you throw it up in the air her him to catch… or watch the other dog to see what she’s going to do before acknowledging that you’re trying to play with him.

  • SuzyQ
    June 5, 2008 at 8:29 am

    Aw! My dog, Showbiz, is the same way! Though she has gotten better over the years and can maybe catch 2 out of 10 throws! :) My other dog, Lola, doesn’t understand the concept of fetch – she kinda looks at you like – “why did you just throw my toy across the room? Now you are going to have to go it for me.” :)

  • Nicole
    June 5, 2008 at 8:33 am

    hehe… so funny the things the pups choose to be afraid of! I have 2 pugs- one is afraid of everything from plastic bags to strollers, yet the other is so curious that he has to go explore the new item while his brother hides.

    We don’t do catch in our house, but that can partially be blamed on my throwing skills… fetch is fun even if you can’t catch! :)

  • T.Kimberlyn
    June 5, 2008 at 8:48 am

    LMAO….those images are soooo funny….and the last sentence cracked me up!

  • Silvia
    June 5, 2008 at 8:55 am

    oh my…so cutieee!! fantastic thanks for the smile I have now on my face!
    Silvia

  • mary
    June 5, 2008 at 9:20 am

    So funny! Poor guy. At least he knows to avoid the plastic pizza guy.

    I l-o-v-e the rug, and I need it in red & white. I wish I could order it online!

  • A Merry Mishap
    June 5, 2008 at 9:49 am

    Oh my goodness, these photos are so funny, yet heartbreaking at the same time! He looks like he’s trying but I guess it’s not his thing. I am with him on his fear of Italian stereotypes, however…

  • sarah
    June 5, 2008 at 9:49 am

    my beagle can’t catch with his mouth either. he’s taken to jumping up on his back legs & catching things with his two front paws & then PUTTING them in his mouth. it is AWESOME!

  • Amanda
    June 5, 2008 at 10:38 am

    So funny. Meanwhile, all I can think as I look at the photos is, “Man, that rug looks NICE.”

  • Lili
    June 5, 2008 at 10:42 am

    Sug couldnt catch at all when we got her! We started feeding her part of her kibble every night by tossing it at her. Stand about three feet away, have a big wind up and get lots of air under the treat so he has plenty of time to think about it coming. When he catches it make a huge deal with lots of praise. He’ll get it! Sugar’s record is now 15 in a row!

    We’re also using soft round balls for her to catch now. She can grab it by biting it instead of having it go in her mouth. Plus, if she gets any where near a tennis ball she thinks her job is to un-fuzz it and she wont give it back. sigh.

  • grace
    June 5, 2008 at 11:38 am

    OMG. You must submit that first photo to faildogs.com — hilarious!

  • Ames
    June 5, 2008 at 11:49 am

    Ha! Too adorable! He’ll learn with time, it took one of our pups a year or so before he figured it out, now he can catch soccer balls!

    p.s. I tagged you for a 6 quirks meme, if you’re interested…

  • kris
    June 5, 2008 at 1:00 pm

    OMG. I peed my pants when I saw this. Too funny!

  • amy purple
    June 5, 2008 at 1:11 pm

    Awww! These photos are so cute!

  • Elissa
    June 5, 2008 at 1:43 pm

    Haha! Those photos are amazing!!

  • Laura
    June 5, 2008 at 2:05 pm

    haha! Cute

    We had collie when I was a kid. His nose was so long that it seemed to get in the way of catching. He rarely caught anything!

    He did love to grab things and be chased and vice versa though.

  • Ines
    June 5, 2008 at 2:13 pm

    Murray is just too cute. One thing though, please don’t give him a racquet-ball ball. My beautiful golden retriever died 2 years ago while playing with a small rubber ball, he choked on it. Please don’t give him anything smaller than that tennis ball!

  • katelynjane
    June 5, 2008 at 5:03 pm

    Aw! How old is Murray? Our pup had so much trouble catching for a while too, but now she’s a pro. She probably started learning to actually catch when she was seven months or so.

  • jenny
    June 5, 2008 at 7:16 pm

    I love Murray! I can’t catch either, and I became a lawyer – so just think what potential he has! Maybe he has spatial perception issues, or maybe he needs glasses…
    Great pics.

  • Sara
    June 6, 2008 at 12:40 pm

    OMG that is absolutely hysterical! Poor Murray. You gotta let the poor guy work up to a tennis ball. Start with small little chewy treats, he’ll get a nack for it.

    I love his coloring, rescued mutt dogs are seriously the best.

  • Colleen in MA
    June 6, 2008 at 4:03 pm

    Murray, that’s ok! You are cute enough just trying! Thanks for the smiles today!

  • jane
    June 6, 2008 at 6:55 pm

    Aw! Don’t worry, one day he will get it.
    My dog chloe was the same way, for years she couldn’t catch. And we had a sneakin suspicion that she was embarrassed by this.
    Then one time we tried training her with popcorn, because it floats in the air longer than say, a ball, she ended up learning paw eye coordination that way.
    Now she can catch really well and seems very proud of her catches.

    Great photos by the way!

  • Haley
    June 7, 2008 at 8:57 pm

    Aww! Too cute!! The look on his face in the first picture is SO FUNNY! My dog never got the hang of catch or fetch, but we still love her. : )

  • Nicole
    June 9, 2008 at 3:17 am

    Great pics! He looks like he’s full of personality. Ted can’t catch either, he can grab and shake though!

  • Maggie
    June 9, 2008 at 2:39 pm

    Ooh, where’s the rug from? Love it!

  • alis
    June 10, 2008 at 1:52 am

    Our dog isn’t a catcher either! We just play a little soccer with her. Also she loves a game of throw-a-rock-in-the-sea game, she dives to take them out. We must have unknowingly encouraged her to get rocks, because now she doesn’t come home from her walk without finding one (we have a huge pile, could build a wall with them).

  • Kate
    June 10, 2008 at 7:36 pm

    Hahaha…my new pup Porter can’t catch either! We keep throwing the tennis ball at him, but he just sort of tils his head a bit and lets it hit him in the face. So sad!

  • Jo
    June 20, 2008 at 12:17 am

    I cracked up when I saw these pix. My dog prefers to catch water in his mouth, so he usually succeeds!

    Grace, thanks for posting the faildogs website, it’s hilarious!

  • Rebekah at Elizabeth Anne
    July 2, 2008 at 4:35 pm

    We saw an ad on the local Craigslist for a dog that looks very similar to Murray. They called him Nipper and had posted several pictures of Nipper trying to catch the ball. He looked rabid with excitement. We passed on the offer.

  • Melissa
    August 17, 2008 at 8:29 am

    oh my gosh… murray looks so much like my dog lacey. what kind of dog is murray??? wow…i’ve just never seen a dog that looks like her…
    if you have myspace..i have pics of her on there it’s http://www.myspace.com/adiqshun

  • Kristin
    September 1, 2008 at 8:16 pm

    OMG, this made me laugh out loud.