As we settled into the groove of having a great family dog, I would say that our favorite activity with him, on a daily basis, would be taking him out into the backyard to play. Occasionally we’d play out front, but there was always the risk that he’d see a squirrel or another dog and take off running.
We had fenced in the backyard, which allowed him to roam around freely (so long as we were there with him, he’d figure out a way to escape otherwise, or maybe jump into the pond!).
We’d play with a tennis ball, jolly ball, football, soccer ball, it didn’t matter. In the backyard we 
had a great hammock that was a Father’s Day gift for Steve. Every time Steve tried to lay down for a rest, Boomer would drop a tennis ball onto the hammock and take off running. If Steve didn’t throw it he’d bark until he did. Steve never got a moment’s peace if Boomer was out there with him!
The kids also loved to play with Boomer in the backyard, especially in the fall. They’d make piles of leaves, and he’d also chase them around with the football. Below are a couple of pictures of Boomer playing in the backyard with Steve, Matthew, and Andrew Engel (you can make out the football in his mouth!), and another great picture of Matthew playing in the leaves with Boomer.
