# New Ballboys **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 14, 2015, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-ballboys/709767 "2015-01-14T00:23:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-ballboys/709767/1 "2015-01-14T00:23:18Z")
So apparently - the best tennis ballboys are… dogs! > **[NewsLinQ - Stories From Around The World](https://www.newslinq.com)** > > Stories From Around The World I believe we need more dogs in sport. If they get to a ball before you, or trip you up, that’s just part of the game! How else can we utilize animals in sports? Maybe a horse or two grazing on a football field? You never know where they’ll go next. How about a dozen sheep on the soccer pitch? Talk about random obstacles! ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-ballboys/709767/2 "2015-01-14T01:39:31Z")
I love it! Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-ballboys/709767/3 "2015-01-14T02:59:42Z")
At least real boys don’t slobber all over the balls when they pick them up. Well…maybe some of them do. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-ballboys/709767/4 "2015-01-14T15:57:38Z")
Love 🙂 (HA! Unintended tennis pun!) Got some great trainers there, to keep the dogs from “joining in” in the middle of a volley! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-ballboys/709767/5 "2015-01-14T16:19:48Z")
If they’re like the dogs I’ve owned or know, the real problem will be getting them to drop the ball after they bring it back. [DOG] I’ve got a ball! I’ve got a ball! MAYBE I’ll let you have it. Maybe. Come over here. Come over here and try to take it away. Try to take it away. HAH! Gotta be faster than that. [/DOG] ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-ballboys/709767/6 "2015-01-14T16:47:31Z")
> [@ducati](#): > > I believe we need more dogs in sport. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/VC-F14VWIog/hqdefault.jpg "tee retrieving dog at Boise State") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC-F14VWIog) Football kickoff tee retrieving dogs! ---
**Author:** ![Tuxie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ee59a6/32.png) [@Tuxie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuxie)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-ballboys/709767/7 "2015-01-14T16:58:31Z")
Gridiron football: Each player on the field carries a trained mustelid in a special pouch in his uniform. The fur is painted with nontoxic dye in that team’s colors to determine ownership. Different positions get different species. Some, like ferrets, would be used to shimmy into a quarterback’s helmet or pants to try and get him to fumble the ball. Others would be used to help recover punts, block field goals, or pushing the football just forward enough to get a touchdown. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-ballboys/709767/8 "2015-01-14T17:25:28Z")
> [@ducati](#): > > How else can we utilize animals in sports? Llama caddies. [It’s a thing.](https://www.google.com/search?q=llama+caddy&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=624&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=Jqa2VPiIEoGmgwSDpIPYDw&ved=0CCUQsAQ) ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-ballboys/709767/9 "2015-01-14T17:40:17Z")
I heard they’re using them in Wimbledon, but they have to be Corgis. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-ballboys/709767/10 "2015-01-14T17:46:19Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Llama caddies. [It’s a thing.](https://www.google.com/search?q=llama+caddy&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=624&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=Jqa2VPiIEoGmgwSDpIPYDw&ved=0CCUQsAQ) How good is the llama’s club advice? ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-ballboys/709767/11 "2015-01-14T20:07:33Z")
How would the dogs know when they’re done? ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-ballboys/709767/12 "2015-01-14T21:08:01Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > How good is the llama’s club advice? They generally recommend the [Los Andes Golf Club](http://losandesgolfclub.org/). ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2015, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-ballboys/709767/13 "2015-01-18T00:17:58Z")
Is there some kind of heater/blower to dry off the slobber? ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2015, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-ballboys/709767/14 "2015-01-18T00:51:03Z")
my folks have a cocker spaniel who would be perfect for such a job. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2015, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-ballboys/709767/15 "2015-01-18T10:25:34Z")
Macaws for the announcers?