If your tennis match happens to be interrupted by a speeding Golden Retriever, just shout out to “Buttercup”! She has a great return! Buttercup is partly owned by her original family and partly owned by Susan Ruchti, who acts as her doggie sitter and stand-in doggie mom. Susan happens

to be a tennis player herself in addition to working at the USTA. Buttercup enjoys sleepovers at Susan’s place, and they have become quite attached to one another.

As you can see from the photos, Buttercup loves going to the USTA National Campus and is always ready to retrieve a tennis ball or two. She can even tell when Susan has tennis balls in the trunk of her car. Buttercup will just sit and stare with a look that says, ”Well, when are you going to open it and give me one.”

If Buttercup does not get enough attention, she rolls in the grass and lays on her back waiting for something to happen. Aside from rolling on her back, visiting the campus and chasing tennis balls,  Buttercup spends the work day at the Lake Nona Pet Paradise day camp, where she greets each staff member by offering her paw, and then she romps with friends around the dog bone-shaped pool.

If Buttercup still has energy to spare, Susan takes her to parks for 2- to 3-hour visits, where Buttercup enjoys running through wooded areas chasing squirrels. Susan says she is such an energetic and happy

dog! Some evening or weekend, you may notice Buttercup walking down the street with her tongue hanging out. She will be looking for another tennis ball or squirrel to chase before she settles down for the night.

 All in a good day’s work!