DDog eating old tennis balls

[mckenzie]

Is something missing from his diet?

He doesn’t do it all the time but if he comes across an old tennis ball, just the rubber insert bit, he will eat it.

Why?

TIA

[AvocadosBeforeMortgages]

What do you feed him?

My guess is that it isn't a dietary deficiency, but a matter of taste and idiocy

It sounds like this is mainly a problem with balls found on walks, but if you're looking for an instructible ball I'd highly recommend the chuck it brand - even my ball obsessed terrier has never managed to put a scratch in them.

[adaline]

Please, please be careful as things like this can cause fatal blockages in dogs.

However, I wouldn't say it was a dietary deficiency - more of a daft dog thing! Mine steals socks - thankfully he's never eaten or swallowed one, although I know of dogs who have needed life-saving surgery due to a penchant for socks!

[Mapril]

I know you’re not feeding him old tennis balls but please discourage him from chewing and eating them as much as possible. My friends dog has just had a bit of the rubber removed from his intestine that the vet said had been in there some time. He was really very ill- thankfully all better now, but very lucky to be alive (and the treatment cost ££!)

[mckenzie]

Thank you all
I tried my damdest to get it off him. His response to recall and wait commands are usually really good but when it involves him eating an old piece of rubber, he ignores me completely.
When I eventually caught him today, I put him straight back on the lead and bought him home and I’ve pretty much ignored him ever since. I can tell that he is rather perplexed but whether he is intelligent enough to put the two and two together is another matter.

[mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork]

My dog will eat a tennis ball if bored - I have removed them all as I don't want her swallowing bits. I don't play with tennis balls with her - she is just as happy chasing her stuffed squirrel toy down the stairs and bringing it back and I give her antlers and yak cheese chews to chew at.
How about having one of those chews in your pocket and substituting it for the tennis ball next time your dog gets hold of one?

[mckenzie]

DDog has very little interest in chasing after a ball of any sort so I don’t carry one with me.
He’s very interested in food though and although he would know I had treats and would have been able to see and smell them, the mouldy rubber today was higher value for him.

[rosydreams]

i suggest you read this some dogs have weird habits

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/thirty_days_only/3553271-anyone-else-ever-had-a-puppy-that-eats-socks

[adaline]

Ignoring him like that won't really help - he won't know what he's done wrong

You need to teach a solid swap command - so have a very, very high value treat with you and whenever he has something he shouldn't, shout him and if he drops whatever he's carrying, give him a treat.

Alternatively try a "leave it" - even my beagle knows this one! Whenever he shows interest in something he shouldn't, a swift "leave!" means he just sniffs and walks away instead of trying to kill it!

[mckenzie]

thank you. I will work on a leave command.

That thread was interesting Rosy. The poor man with the springer