3 Tips for Ball Obsessed Dogs

Is your dog ball obsessed? 

Ball obsessed dogs might hyperfocus on their toy, give frantic or frenetic behaviour like spinning or barking to try to get it, or go into almost a trance at the sight of their toys. They might struggle to listen, or eat treats when the toy is there, or move mountains to try to get it.
Toy obsession can be problematic for your dog, and it can also be really annoying and stressful.

Here are three tips to help you manage this frustrating behaviour problem

1. Provide lots of other enrichment and exercise. Make sure your dog’s needs are being met by providing daily enrichment and enough physical exercise to keep your dog fit, happy and fulfilled. Bored or understimulated dogs will easily get obsessed with the few outlets they *do* have.
2. Give a cue for when the ball appears. Tell your dog when the ball is coming into play. Use a cue like “ball” or “get it” before you bring the toy out. If you do this consistently they learn that without the cue the ball isn’t in play. Remember to give the cue before reaching for the toy so your dog learns the cue, not your movement, predicts the toy appearing.
3. Use an “all done” ritual. Give your dog a clear process for ending the game. Give a verbal cue, like “all done”, and scatter or toss treats for your dog. Quietly pick up the toy and put it away. The cue must mean the toy disappears and the game ends. 

If your dog is toy obsessed, and you’d like to learn how to help them, and to use the toy as a powerful reinforcer for training, sign up for our newsletter and be the first to learn when our upcoming webinar Ball Obsessed is released!

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