warding off total household destruction

Jack will, we've found, destory the entire house if he gets bored and has energy to spare.

Since I'm the one who has the leisurely mornings around here, I try to find ways to prevent that. Best solution - take him on a morning run. I go 2.5-3.5, which seems to wear him out pretty well.

The only problems with that are:
A) I don't run every day.
B) He sucks as a running partner.

My idea of a quality morning run does not involve taking off, sprinting like a bat out of Hell for three quarters of a mile, dashing off the path to bark at other dogs in their backyards, then walking slowly home. So running with Jack is...a lot of work.

This morning was a no-run day (lazy and creaky - a wonderful combo). So it was a pool-retrieves and football-chase morning.

After several throws it finally dawned on me - I really wish I could throw a football. I'm fully capable with baseballs and softballs and all that, but there was never any reason for me to learn to throw a football. So I can't. And I look stupid trying.