Need Advice

[DonRamon]

Hey everyone, my dashie ninja is now 11 month old, and hes my first dog, so im not sure what to think of this. He loves playing ball, but its now to a point where hes obsessed with the ball, if we go to a dog park, before he would play with all the dogs, now he would rather play featch with ball, at home same thing, all he does is bring me ball all day for me to throw. Is that ok for him to be so obsessed with a ball, or should i take it away sometimes?

Because hes same way with laser pointer, but i read that they could become ocd over the laser pointer and would always look for it, so i stopped giving him the laser pointer.

Thank you.

 

[Inkeri]

I've read about this because Manu is sometimes obsessed with playing (fetching too). He just can't stop playing sometimes! I know that it's not healthy for a dog to be obsessed with anything. They get stressed and tense.
I haven't done anything special with Manu's obsession, I just ignore him when he brings me the ball or toy. Then I wait few minutes when he's relaxed and then start playing with him. This has helped us. I think you just have to completely ignore the dog sometimes and make sure he understands that you also play with YOUR rules.

This is what Cesar says:
Dealing with Obsessive Dog Behaviors | Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan

 

[DeafDogs]

I like a strong ball drive in a dog, it keeps them focused on you, and it makes for a great reward in dog training. However, i do keep the ball up, unless I want to play, so my dogs cant bug me to play all the time, and it makes it that much more rewarding when I take it out.

 

[Steph]

Arelus is the same way with playing fetch - he'd play all day! Much like a post above me, I keep the ball put away until I decide it's time to play. It's also served as a great training tool for him since we are going into Earth Dog in about a month. I hide the ball and he has to sniff it out under the command "Find it" He thinks it's as much fun as playing fetch (probably because we play a round or two before I make him "Find it" again)

 

[Inkeri]

That's a good point, I also use toys as treats when training. You just have to know what is too much for your dog.

 

[vizzla]

At our dogclass they told us to controll playtime. Dont let the dog decide what to do. If you play with a ball, then throw it away and get some other toy and run at another direction, stop and play with the toy so the dog get interessted in what you are doing. Play whit the dog an then throw the toy and run for the ball and start playing with that.

Dont know if it will work on your dog but for us it has made our dog mor interessted in us, he respect us more now.

No obsessive behaviour is good so try to stop his obsession as soon as possible. Dont play with the ball for a while or use the ball for reward as you train obedience or something he is less interessted in Good luck.

 

[Cell]

I tried to get Leo involved in toys and balls but he is way more interested in squirrels and cats and critters, a high prey drive in him, toy's don't fool him.