In a society with a throwaway mentality, with the average means to readily replace objects that have disappeared, or broken, it's easy enough to succumb to the feeling of futility trying to find something you've just seen sink into a mountain of snow. Say, something like a small, black, round object resembling a puck. Oh, the owners of Corona the golden retriever/black Labrador mix realized -- it is a puck!

And they tossed it back into the snowpack when Corona happily brought it to them. But Corona kept bringing them on, and Isabelle and Bruce decided, why then, they would collect the tennis balls and hockey pucks that Corona kept digging up. How many? 762 and counting.

The couple regularly walk with their pet around the rink at Combermere Park in Ottawa. Each time they're there with Corona, he indulges in his favourite sport time activity. Digging ferociously, feverishly, and uncovering treasured objects which he then trots back to his human companions. What fun, what unalloyed fun! A romp, a digging-fury and those rewards to conclude the treasure-hunt.

"We've been debating what to do. I would love to do something in the community, to help give back and sell the pucks so we can donate to some charities of our choice", Bruce explained. Isabelle said she'd like to support the Tao Program, Gloucester Recreational Development Organization, Centre for Treatment of Sexual Abuse & Childhood trauma and Walk With Me Canada Victim Services. So there's no end of charitable groups that could take advantage of any funds raised.

Corona, it seems, really outdoes himself in the most spectacular manner through his very special talents. "He likes to have fun so we take him to the park, no matter what the season, and he likes to dig up pucks that have fallen into the snowbanks near the rink or tennis balls that are hidden."

On our own ravine rambles in our part of the city, we've come across countless 'lost' tennis balls over the years, brought there by companion pets unwilling to part with their favourite toys even for a walk. Then forgetting about the ball while they're cavorting in the woods, and eventually returning home, crestfallen that their precious ball has been lost. So it isn't only people, young and old, who lose such play objects, but dogs as well...!