Ball obsessed toys/mental stimulation ideas?

[CJ0374]

My 2yr old poodle X is ball obsessed. She would spend hours chasing and returning a ball if she could. I'm considering an automatic ball machine, but aware that is lazy on my part. She also has walks and runs on the beach, but what other mental games or physical stimulation could I try?

Have you tried hiding the ball for her to find rather than throwing? You can do this at home and out and about

Thank you for the idea, but I do try this. Sometimes we distract her and throw it somewhere different-she then spends 10mins trying to sniff it out. If I come inside, she entertains herself. This could be putting the ball in a garden bed to then paw and dig at it 😡Or she puts it inside a pallet (we are renovating) then paws at it from all angles pretending to reach it. When I come outside again- she easily retrieves the ball though.

I use a kong filled with treats/biscuits and peanut butter frozen keeps mine entertained for a while 🤣

I do sniffer dog training with my dog. He get the ball as a reward for doing something rather than just repeated throwing and retrieving (look at the Canine Arthritis Management website for good reasons not to do it - I always say the ball flingng things are sponsored by Metacam). Sniffing things out really tires them too. You've got an intelligent cross so make it more interesting.

Personally I would get rid of the ball altogether, though I'm aware that's probably not the answer you were looking for.

Repetitive ball throwing is so, so bad for dogs, and automatic ball throwers (and launchers) is even worse. They do so much damage to the joints and create a dog who is hyper focused and often can't settle down.

I would stop ball throwing.
It’s awful for their shoulders and doesn’t tire them out but instead can make them a bit manic.
Pet gundog training, agility, obedience work, flyball (although I’m not convinced this is great for joints) wkuld All be better fits

Stop ball throwing. Your dogs behaviour is likely because it’s not mentally stimulated enough - so you need to find other outlets (sniffer training etc). Throwing the ball won’t fix its bordem.

My terrier was ball obsessed so we stopped giving him any balls at home otherwise he was a pest . We let him have them on walks .

Second a lot of what is said here. A ball thrower is on a par with a laser. So addictive for them and really bad for their joints.
Get into mental stimulation activity that is breed specific. Scent work and man trailing would be perfect

Ball throwing is addictive. Dogs don’t love it. They’re addicted to it. I’d stop it all together. If you still want to use one then hiding it for them to find is much better.

Thanks everyone. Off to look for sniffer dog training and some of the other suggestions.

So you have a ball junkie?
I have one too... and I found that no amount of other worthy past times (sniffer dog training, Agility....) are compatible for your little addict.
A ball will always take first place!
Mine would even go for other dogs balls for her fix.
Here is what you can do: treat ddog like an junky, go cold turkey and don't under any circumstances let her near a ball or anything that could resemble a ball again. Difficult to impossible to reinforce...I know.

Or you can cleverly restict the use of the ball and have it as a high value treat.

We do agility, so ball comes out at the end of a sequence... she's allowed the ball at certain stages of her walk, I throw it a few times and then tell her it's finished... once she's dropped the ball (before I pick it up!) I pick it up and put it into my pocket. Its a long process, but she's slowly learning that there is a life without a ball. She's stopped stealing balls from other dogs ... but still struggling with the sight of HER ball on the floor at home. So work in progress!