Doggy Phobias - the Black Abyss

Mr. F and I have a very playful and amusing dog who nevertheless seems to be half a bubble off plumb most days.  His newest (and absolute favourite-est) toy is a tennis ball I found at a park recently.  Rocky chews it, plays his own private soccer match with it and has actually learned that there is a game to be had with bringing the ball to us so we can throw it for him.  (The bubble edged slightly more central with that revelation.)

He does have some phobias though, which are mostly a source of giggling for us.  Mr. F had high hopes of training Rocky to be a bird dog for hunting trips.  That idea was laid to rest the first time Rocky experienced fireworks.  Not up-close-and-personal, mind you; he was inside and, after a short search-and-rescue, we found him doing ostrich impersonations under the bed.  His fear of loud bangs is such that the mere rattle of a box of matches sends him scurrying upstairs for the darkest hidey-hole.  He's a sad tale during a thunderstorm...

We discovered Rocky's latest phobia after noticing that he would tread gingerly past the hearth in our living room.  It's black and very reflective.  At first we thought his own reflection was freaking him out, but it looks like he's more afraid of how it appears to be a horrifying Black Abyss.  He is exceptionally careful about retrieving his ball when it goes too near.

Alas!  The poor dog has lost his newfound toy and best friend!  His tennis ball rolled onto the Black Abyss yesterday during a game of fetch.
 

After about 10 minutes of fretting and trying to build up the courage to pick it up (during which he would plant his hind legs securely a good distance from the hearth, then stre-e-e-e-etch as far as he dared towards the ball), he gave up entirely and sat down for a candlelit vigil.  (At least, we would have lit some candles but then Rocky would have run upstairs to hide as soon as the matches came out.)

I can't imagine what he thought about seeing Pepper lying on it recently.  A large black ball of fur with glittering green eyes, floating on the scary Black Abyss.  He does seem to have a little more respect for the cat lately...

The ball lies there to this day, waiting patiently for another game.  Rocky has been exceptionally callous in totally shunning his former playmate and leaving it to the clutches of the dreaded Black Abyss.