It’s summer and the parks are bustling with people enjoying playful ball games with their dogs.
No one can argue that we get joy from watching our dogs have a good time. It’s contagious--our dogs have fun and we have fun watching them.
Nonetheless, many of our clients have told us stories about unfortunate situations related to playing ball.
Consider these incidents:
- Resource Guarding: Your dog may become possessive of their ball, and in an attempt to prevent you from taking it away, might swallow it, leading to an emergency vet visit.
- Conflict in Public Spaces: Playing ball in crowded areas can lead to conflicts with other dogs, which can quickly escalate.
- Obsession and Recall Issues: Some dogs become so fixated on the ball that they lose focus on you, leading to poor recall. This can result in dangerous situations, such as running into traffic.
- Missed Opportunities: A dog obsessed with a ball may miss out on interacting with other dogs, people, and the environment, losing valuable opportunities for socialization and learning.
- Health Risks: Prolonged ball-chasing, especially on hard surfaces, in the heat, or before a dog’s bone structure is fully developed, can lead to health issues like arthritis, heat stroke, and bloat.
- Physiological Stress: Over-excitement from prolonged play leading to over-excitement releases harmful chemicals in the body over time.
The saying “everything in moderation” holds true here--throwing the ball for your pup during short sessions a few times weekly can provide some quick and easy fun and exercise for your dog.
We suggest following these guidelines:
- Keep sessions short (5-10 minutes).
- Ensure play occurs in a safe environment to protect your dog’s physical and emotional health.
- Train your dog to reliably give up the ball and reward them with high-value treats.
- Teach cues to start and end play sessions, helping your dog know when it's time to play and when to stop.
It is our responsibility, as guides for our beloved dogs, to prevent them from developing a “ball obsession” and to find other ways of entertaining and playing with them.
Below we offer some alternative activities to chasing balls that are not only fun for dogs and their people, but also channel canine instincts, improve socialization skills, augment cognitive abilities and release stress for all involved.
Take retrieving, for example--many breeds of dogs are genetically wired to retrieve and many other dogs also learn to retrieve quickly. Diverse activities besides ball-chasing allow our dogs to retrieve, exercise and to develop new cognitive skills at the same time.
Here are just a few:
- Teach your dog to pick up and retrieve various objects around your house or yard, such as their toys or recyclables. Start by rewarding them for picking up the object, then gradually introduce the command to bring it back or place it in a designated spot. This not only provides mental stimulation but also impresses others with your dog's skills!
- Consider using a larger ball that you can teach your dog to push with their nose, like a soccer ball for big dogs.
- Combine nosework with retrieving by hiding a scented toy and instructing your dog to “find it.” This adds an extra layer of challenge and excitement for your dog.
“Enrichment” activities relax dogs, allowing them to use their senses to explore new stimuli while you, their trustworthy guide, accompany them.
Create an enriched environment in your yard or inside your home with a variety of novel objects and scents for your dog to explore.
Or take your dog walking in new places with stimuli that will interest them. Follow your dog’s lead as they discover new scents, sights, surfaces and sounds.
The possibilities are endless when we discover the natural abilities our dogs have! Many “tricks” are fun for our dogs and help them refine motor and cognitive skills. Some of these skills require us to work as a team with them, thus improving our coordination as well.
In summary, there are numerous safe and relaxing activities beyond ball-chasing that you can enjoy with your dog to strengthen your bond.
What new activities sound fun to you? Be creative, try something new, and share your experiences with us!
