Shall we play a game?

Go get it!
Let's take fetch for example. How does it work? Oh, yes. I remember. You, the one without arthritis, sit in a chair and throw a stick as far as you can and then watch as I, the one with arthritis, sprint after it and bring it back. Then you, the one without arthritis, mumble something cheery to me, take the stick and throw it as far as you can -- starting the whole process over.

Hey, as much as I am undyingly loyal to you, and as much as I love you, you need to realize that this isn't as much fun as you think it is. I know it's my job to make you feel good about yourself. I really want to please you, and I want you to love me. But I can't keep running after your sticks. I've got things to work out myself too, because I really want to be able to run and play, and I probably led you to believe that I can run like the other dogs when I come up to you with the stick in my mouth asking to play. But then I get angry at myself and you when it turns out that play isn't fun when it hurts. I wish we could get to the point where I didn't feel like I have to act like all the other dogs to keep your love. I know you'd love me whether I get your sticks or not, but sometimes I forget this and I think that if I can't fulfill my own expectations of myself then nobody will want me. And where is an arthritic dog going to go when nobody wants him?