One happy dog in Woodland Park has turned fetch into a neighborhood activity.

Randi, a 5-year-old rescue owned by Michael Patterson, has an obsession with chasing tennis balls. He is known for wild jumps, occasional flips and other airborne tricks – all while in pursuit of the bouncy balls.

Randi developed a habit of dropping the balls on the outside of Patterson’s waist-level fence, seemingly asking any passerby — old or young, stranger or friend – to throw it across the yard for him to retrieve.

The ritual sparked an idea for neighbors Rick and Mary Crosslin after Patterson told them that he wished more people knew they were allowed to throw the balls for Randi.

“I was upstairs one day, and I was like, ‘Who the heck is that out in my driveway,’” Patterson said.

When the 78-year-old went outside, he found the Crosslins installing an empty flower box on the fence. Painted on it were the words “Play ball with Randi!” along with several pleas of “Please.”

The box contains a handful of tennis balls that Randi faithfully replaces whenever they’re thrown across his grassy domain.

“Ruff, ruff, ruff,” Randi barks when the game stops.

Lucky for Randi, he finds many a willing companion.

Sometimes it’s neighborhood kids. Sometimes it’s fellow dog owners such as the Crosslins. Sometimes it’s the first responders who visit the neighborhood. No matter the visitor, Randi is eager to play. And play. And play some more.

“If it’s real hot outside, I just tell them, ‘Only throw it once or twice,’” Patterson said. “I thought he was going to have a heart attack one day.”

Randi’s zealousness isn’t only a concern for him overheating; it can also become a problem when he gets too greedy, Patterson said.

“I say only throw one ball at a time because if you throw another one right after that, he’ll try to bring two back,” Patterson said.

The people are surely learning, and fetch with Randi has developed quite the following.

“I love that the neighbors are so sweet to Randi,” Mary Crosslin said. “You know when people say it takes a village to raise a kid. Well, sometimes it takes a village to exercise a dog.”

That’s why a second box will soon be installed on the other side of the fence. And when it is, Randi will be ready.