Barking Blondes: Wagging at Wimbledon, Novak Doggovic and four-legged ball boys

This week’s Wimbledon highlight, for us, was the Novak Djokovic press conference. He insisted on talking about his dog. Unlike the familiar post-match predictable questioning with the usual lackluster answers, he launched into an amusing monologue about his poodle. Apparently he and his girlfriend have brought Pierre, their toy poodle, over to London. He was purchased in Germany and is now four years old, has three passports and considers himself Serbian. It was at this point a female voice, off camera, could be heard shouting “Is he on your restrictive diet?” It appeared the voice belonged to Maria Sharapova, who was waiting in line for her own press post mortem.

“Yes,” responded Djokovic. “ My dog is gluten free… what about yours? “

“My dog is too fat,” she shrieked. “But I must say yours is very small.”

Much laughter followed, showing, as we so often discover on our radio show, the best way to get a good interview, is to ask if the celebrity has a dog!

Our local tennis courts are predictably booked out this fortnight with sporting hopefuls. Unfortunately they are situated in one of the park’s most popular dog walking areas. There is a little café with dog bowls dotted about, which is very generous considering the disruption pooches often cause. Both our bull breeds, Molly and Matilda, are keen on a game of ball. In the winter months, when all is deserted, they often dive under a hedge to emerge with a bald, faded, green ball in their mouths, a reminder of the summer.

This month it’s a very different scene. All the courts are busy with day-glo green balls flying in all directions. It’s a dog walker’s nightmare – but for dogs it’s heaven.

Their sometimes dormant hunting instinct is now alert as they wait for the random ball to come flying over the wire fence. Then it’s a race between owner and mutt to see who can retrieve it first. Hopefully it’s the owner who can chuck the ball back over the fence, dry and untouched by canine teeth.

How often, though, have we mistimed it, only to see one of our two dive for the ball, grab it and race off to the other side of Regent’s Park leaving the on court players waiting patiently for it to be returned. After what seems ages of chasing, grappling and shouting “DROP” we finally release ball from dog’s mouth and chuck it back over where it lands sodden and punctured, lacking any bounce. “Sorry”, we mutter, whilst pretending to scold the dogs.

On Tuesday, what looked like four Scandinavian aupairs or nannies released from child-minding duties, were playing a game of doubles.  They had tied the family dog, a spaniel called – inappropriately – Passion, to the court’s wire fence.  This animal obviously believed he was there to guard all the courts. We watched from under the safety of a parasol as he barked and growled at any new player attempting to enter their court. Eventually, one of the Swedish beauties ran over to him, unleashed his lead and watched him take off across all courts in chase of green balls. “Passion! Passion!” she screamed with no effect as children and adults scattered.

This made us think again of Wimbledon. Instead of the occasional pigeon landing on Centre Court stopping play, just how wonderful would it be to see Djokovic between games, sitting by the umpire’s chair. He looks up and there, running towards him, dragging a chair to which he’d been tied (we’ve seen this happen on stage to an actor) is Pierre the poodle in search of his master and green balls.

‘Barking at the Moon’ airs on Thursdays between 10pm and midnight on BBC London 94.9FM

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• http://twitter.com/MrHappySW11 MrReasons2BCheerful

  Great barking blog as usual my literate lovelies(!!) and how nice to hear that sportsman can talk about something other than their game, the speed of the returns, or the quslity of the court’s surface.
  Bruno – my Welshie – has no interest in balls (or toys of any canine nature) he’s lying here doing what he likes doing best – sleeping!! Wimbledon? What’s that?

• http://twitter.com/PeterEgan6 Peter Egan

  The Sunday blog, always a pleasure, even if it’s a load of balls! My black Labbie Cassie insists I take a ball on our walk everyday. I generally have 4 dogs with me, depending on their state of mind or energy, sometimes 3. However, whether it’s 3 or 4 Cassie is the one who is totally ball focussed. From the moment we step foot on the Heath, leashes released, she’s four square in front of me, tail wagging, body wiggling, she won’t move until I throw the ball. The other dogs have wandered in various directions, into the bushes on one side of the path, or the woods on the other. D.J. my Spaniel/Collie is now 13 and going deaf, he goes into the bushes, he likes a bit of privacy for personal things, Fynn my Lurcher/Whippet, also 13, runs into the woods and apparently disappears, he’s a loner, and has never recovered from the pack getting to be more than 3. Pippa a Staffie/Lurcher and the newest arrival, she’s just a year old, always stays on the path but lurches ahead, tail wagging, nose everywhere, she’s blonde and worries people because she has a staffie head and a wonderfully muscular body, I’m trying to follow her diet!
  So basically I’m pulled in four directions from the off, making sure D.J keeps up after ablutions, spying Fynn, who occasionally pokes his head from behind a tree, checking all is well before he disappears for another 10 minutes, calling out that, Pippa’s really friendly to any concerned jogger, and making sure the ball comes back and is thrown again for Cassie as it gets gobbier and gooeyer on each pass. I lose one ball on every walk, Cassie always gets bored just before the end and the ball is left as a present for those in need.
  Arriving back home we are greeted by Megan, our full Staffie’, she’s 4 and only likes running around in our garden, our dogs are all rescues and so have their idiosyncrasies. Myra my missus’ gives us all a drink, then Pippa chases the birds in the garden. Who said men can’t multi-task, it’s a load of balls!
  Looking forward to seeing all four of you on Thursday for Barking at The Moon. A great blog as ever and the perfect start to my Sunday.

  Love plus woofs

  Peter. (-:)

• Somerset2

  I will watch out for Scandinavian aupairs running through Regent’s Park shouting “Passion”. Great blog!

• madgooner1

  I don’t think poodles are very bright.

• 5brian5

  Hi Ladies; A very enjoyable blog as always. You have the unique writing ability that can transport and immerse me into your colourful world as though I were there. It keeps me returning on a weekly basis for more. When I heard you play the audio clip of Djokovic talking about Pierre, then verbally interacting with Sharapova about her dog, I must be honest and confess, that was the second time I have ever paid attention to anything sport related. That interview made me rethink how I view athletes. They came accross very down to earth, which to me, was A breath of fresh air. My first time listening to something sport related, was whilst listening to Maureen (caller) talking about Chelsea on BBC London 94.9 local latenight. I love to listen to her as I do all the evening and latenight local programming. Whether its local London radio or this blog, the four of you just keep getting better and more informative. I can’t stand the suspense in waiting for this weeks installment of “Barking At The Moon”! I of course will be rivetted to my favourite radio station, BBC London local 94.9, listening on thursday at 10pm as always. Thank You, and take care of each other. Brian (Detroit)xxxx

• Ziggydog

  All dogs love a tennis ball, but they are tough on teeth. They’re really abrasive and can ruin teeth. Such a shame as they’re brilliant training tools – tennis balls!

• http://twitter.com/GoodDogPuppy DogPuppyTraining.org

  My mates dog always runs along with the ball on TV its funny watching his head go from side to side while they are playing tennis

• marcbletchley

  if a female tennis player throws me a ball im anybodies!
  woof woof girls great blog as usual

• http://www.facebook.com/people/Zuzana-Klementova/592013816 Zuzana Klementova

  As superb as them! I am gluten free person I had no idea that… that dogs can be…Happy Blog writing to Barking Blondes!

• http://www.facebook.com/colinhughesstrawberryjazz Colin Hughes

  Dog’s on gluten free diet, now there is a subject. We look after 5 different dogs every week, some of the owners just feed them dried food, but when they come to our house they love the fresh mince we give them.