I simply couldn't compete.
My son's family joined us here on the farm to 'shelter in place'. They have squeezed into the little guest cottage. My 14 days of self quarantine are nearly up, but his family is only about 4 days into theirs. So I am still 'no contact' with my grandkids. I can watch them running across the pasture. I can light the campfire they built, and then retreat so they can enjoy it. No touching. Talking to each other from 8 or 10 feet away. No sharing books or passing around cookies.
My dogs are both rescues. Ginger from the Humane Society, and Molly, the younger dog was from a Belgian Malinois Rescue group. Ginger is older now but Molly is still all bounce and go.
Molly saw that they had brought Foxy the Border Collie, and Foxy is RICH! She owns three teenagers and a six year old boy! And she offered to share. Five or six hikes down to the river a day! Numerous sticks and tennis balls thrown. Lots of chasing and rough housing.
A couple of times I called her back to me. But the last time she cried. I felt so mean. They were doing night walks with a flashlight, and I was sitting in front of a keyboard.
I let her out and she was off like a shot to join them.
As it should be.
This virus pandemic is a terrible thing. But even it has a silver lining for one dog.