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The doghouse

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Original poster

Ball obsession

16 replies

mynameisnotmichaelcaine · 12/02/2022 08:35

My working cocker is 12 months old. She has taken well to training and has excellent recall. I walk her twice a day, usually in the woods near my house. She absolutely loves pottering around and sniffing in the woods.

I don't ever take a ball out for her because when the entire household had Covid in the Autumn we exercised her by throwing a ball for her in the garden. She became absolutely obsessed by it, and didn't want to do anything else. Obviously it's not great for her joints, and it seemed to send her quite manic (usually as long as she has her walks, she is really chilled in the house).

The problem is when other owners walk through the woods with a ball thrower and ball. She immediately sits next to them and wants to have a game. Lots are really good and stop throwing the ball for their dog, get mine back on the lead, and take her away, but others just merrily continue throwing balls about and wondering why my dog suddenly won't leave their side.

I take high value treats out with me, and she does come back to me, but to her a ball is really the highest value treat. Do I need to start taking a ball out with me to distract her if others have balls? It just makes me a bit sad because if there's a ball about she won't sniff or explore at all, she just stares single-mindedly at the ball, and it just doesn't strike me as being entirely healthy for her!

OP posts:

Peanutgurgle · 12/02/2022 08:39

I have no idea if this is the right thing to do but our dog loves a ball too. I don’t throw a ball for her on walks but I do take one with me in a bum bag. When she sees another dog with one I show her ours to get her away, treat her with a high value treat, put the ball away and continue our walk. It works for us but as I say no idea if it is the ‘right’ thing to do.

EdithStourton · 12/02/2022 08:48

@Peanutgurgle

I do this for a ball-obsessed nutter. It means I have a bribe to hand if I need it, but she never sees it go into a pocket as it's with my dog-walking kit.

OP, have you though about getting some gundog training dummies and letting your dog retrieve and/or hunt for those? They don't seem to fire dogs' brains up in the same way as tennis balls or similar.

sploshsplash · 12/02/2022 08:49

Could you do some training with your dog for 'finished?' Practice everything and give it a 'finished' command at the end when it's done.
Maybe then you could have the ball as part of your walk but your dog will know the game is finished.

Aria20 · 12/02/2022 09:58

@Peanutgurgle I have to do the exact same thing have a ball in my pocket for emergencies as if she spots someone throwing a ball for their dog she will try to join their game and if she's lucky she'll catch the ball and then incite their dog to chase her for it! If I have our own ball I can get her away from their game... but once she has a ball or knows I have the ball basically her walk is finished as she's then just obsessed with the ball and not sniffing anymore! I like the idea of teaching a "finished" command though, will have to give that a go!

vivainsomnia · 12/02/2022 10:11

My dog is ball obsessed and will have them on walks.

Occasionally, we gone across a dig like yours and they'll go and steal the ball. My girl will just stand there.

It makes for nice conversation. We don't mind if it takes about if time to get it back. The only time I get annoyed is when very rarely, the owner just does nothing at all to get the ball back from their dog.

We've always had the ball back somehow!

Original poster

mynameisnotmichaelcaine · 12/02/2022 10:49

Thanks all, this is really helpful. @EdithStourton Yes, I have looked into gundog training but everywhere locally is fully booked for group sessions and only doing one to ones for dogs with poor recall/reactive dogs and she is neither of those. She does go to Kennel Club Good Citizen training, which she loves, but has not been to the latest course because she's been in season.

I think I'll keep a small emergency ball in with my dog walking stuff and work on a finished command, because as you say @Aria20 at the moment the walk will basically be over if she knows I have a ball on me.

OP posts:

Peanutgurgle · 12/02/2022 11:28

That’s a good idea about the dummy and work with a dummy in gun dog sessions. I never actually need to throw the ball for her to come back to me and as soon as it goes back in the bum bag she goes back to sniffing.

EdithStourton · 12/02/2022 13:30

OP, have you looked into local gundog clubs? The one I belong to is still taking on new people who can come to monthly training. I work my older dog now but I started off there as a pet owner and lots of people in the puppy and young dog groups are pet owners, so you shouldn't feel out of place. They are also good places to meet people who do train others, but don't have websites etc.

Another option is the Ladies Working Dog Group (you can find it online or via FB) which has lots of online courses (with videos and workbooks etc) as well as zoom sessions where you can ask questions. Again, not everyone on there has a working gundog.

Or just buy a few canvas dummies online and watch some videos on YouTube (e.g. Spaniel Training Diaries) - lots of good ideas there too.

PollyRoulllson · 12/02/2022 15:42

Change the activity with the ball.

Get her to hunt and scent it rather than high adrenalin fetch and retrieve.

Get her in a wait, hide the ball send her off to get it, teach her directionals to find it, use it to increase her stays , reward is sniffing it out.

Alternatively give her to me for scent work

PollyRoulllson · 12/02/2022 15:44

If a dog has desire (for anything) you can train them to do anything and also fufill their natural desires which means a happy contented dog.

ponkydonkey · 12/02/2022 15:50

@PollyRoulllson

Change the activity with the ball.

Get her to hunt and scent it rather than high adrenalin fetch and retrieve.

Get her in a wait, hide the ball send her off to get it, teach her directionals to find it, use it to increase her stays , reward is sniffing it out.

Alternatively give her to me for scent work

I did this with my lab, also taught her to drop it, leave it Then I say No it's not yours

And she leaves other dog balls alone now 😬 🎾

Original poster

mynameisnotmichaelcaine · 12/02/2022 20:44

Thanks again - some really helpful tips.

OP posts:

Original poster

mynameisnotmichaelcaine · 12/02/2022 20:46

Tried to attach a photo of said dog for cuteness but inadvertently attached one of DD and I 18 years ago!

OP posts:

Floralnomad · 12/02/2022 21:04

Our patterdale x is ball obsessed so we don’t allow tennis balls / hard balls in the house at all . When we go on a walk he always carries a ball 80/90% of the time when he’s on a lead , it doesn’t stop him sniffing things . Off lead I tend to kick the ball rather than throw it and if he brings it to me to kick I often just walk past it and he has to just pick it up and trot along . I always have a couple of balls with me as I’m guaranteed to be able to get his attention .

Honeyroar · 12/02/2022 21:09

@sploshsplash

Could you do some training with your dog for 'finished?' Practice everything and give it a 'finished' command at the end when it's done. Maybe then you could have the ball as part of your walk but your dog will know the game is finished.

Yes we had to do this with our ball obsessed dog. “Have a rest!” was our command. I think people throwing balls near to an obviously ball obsessed dog, or anyone’s dog for that matter, is pretty thoughtless in my opinion.

Userss88 · 13/02/2022 07:05

Instead of throwing the ball you could do hide and seek with the occasional fetch. If you wanted you could just have the ball with you just incase and only use it if you comes across someone else with one.

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