# Tough behavior to describe...



## golden_732 (Aug 26, 2013)

I have been working with Cooper like crazy off late, to curb a lot of his teenage behavior that seems to be primarily him testing his limits. There is something that he has been doing…which is not his fault but I wanted to ask how to stop it.

Both our couches and coffee table have room under them for tennis balls to go under. They will go under there and Cooper will try to paw it out from under there. My dad would get the toys anytime they went under there which ended up leading to Cooper barking anytime it does under couches. If we don't get it for him, he will continue to bark..it has gone upwards of 30mins. Its not that I don't want to get the ball for him, but more so the idea I do not want to teach him that barking will get him what he wants. 

When we don't get him the toy, he will paw at it and work at it until he gets it. On Sunday, I realized that he ripped up the lining under the couches while trying to get his toys. The coffee table has some pretty deep scratches on it. There's nothing I can do about the damage that is already done but I would not like to progress it further. I know that it was probably something that I should have worked on from the start.

Ideally, if something goes under the couch, I would like him to "forget" about it, until I get it out for him (at my own time)…I usually go around the house in the morning and gather up all his toys and put it in his toy basket. Is that realistic? If so, what would be the best way to go about this? 

If not, would it be advisable to just put something under the couches and coffee table? What should I put under there? 

Thank you!


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## gldnboys (Mar 15, 2012)

One of my dogs used to play this game, many years ago, and I simply confiscated the ball when it happened. Once he learned that I wasn't going to play that game, he stopped doing it. I would suggest putting the ball away someplace where Cooper can't get it, substituting another high-value toy, chew bone, or whatever (anything he likes) and allowing him to settle down with that. 

If what he's looking for is interaction with you, maybe you could try to find another game to substitute in its place, or a toy that won't fit under your furniture.


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## inge (Sep 20, 2009)

I bought a Swiffer (those small yellow things) for that. A couple of years ago I read on the forum that someone had put chicken wire or wood under the couches just to prevent those balls to get there. Liza is ok with balls under the couch, but Tess paws and whines until we get it. That's what it is...those balls are the most important things in her world...so we get the ball with the Swiffer, and she's happy....and so are we...


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

We don't allow balls in the house for that reason.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I like it when my guys come up to "ask" me for something and lead me over to what they want. 

With my guys, it's them coming up and staring at me. So I get up and follow them over to the couch or spot where their ball is and broom it out for them.


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## gldnboys (Mar 15, 2012)

golden_732 said:


> Ideally, if something goes under the couch, I would like him to "forget" about it, until I get it out for him (at my own time)…I usually go around the house in the morning and gather up all his toys and put it in his toy basket. Is that realistic? If so, what would be the best way to go about this?


It was your mention of wanting to get the ball out in your own time that led to my post about confiscating the ball. I guess what I'm getting at is that it depends on how pesky he's being about needing the ball, and needing it NOW. If the behaviour is demanding to the point of being annoying, I wouldn't encourage it. If he's just asking for it politely (as Megora described above), that's a different story altogether.


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## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

As someone suggested, the simple solution would be to block off the space so the balls cannot go under, or only have balls that are too big to roll under, or no balls at all. If Max has a ball in the house, it will inevitably roll under a piece of furniture. Max does not bark, but a will try to get it, which might lead to damaging the furniture. We therefore do not usually have balls in the house.

Sounds like Cooper is barking as his way of communicating with you. And he has a good reason--he wants his ball and knows you can help him get it. You have taught him that the barking works. I do not know of a way to curb that behavior, except to eliminate the ball problem before it happens.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

We don't have tennis balls in the house because the dogs don't just _accidentally_ roll them under things and then come bother you about it. Our dogs have learned that if they push a ball under a couch and then come over and get us, we'll get up and interact with them and the ball (best reward ever). So having a tennis ball loose in the house means the dogs will constantly be playing with it, dropping it in our laps so we'll throw it, or putting it under furniture so we'll get up and get it. No dice. Tennis balls are outside toys. Nothing that rolls is an inside toy in our house.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

I agree about them pestering mom and dad to play with them and their tennis balls. We substituted a couple of balls that are too big to go under the furniture. And a couple of jolly balls.


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## golden_732 (Aug 26, 2013)

Thanks everyone. Last night he did the same thing so I took out the two tennis balls and put them away. I felt so bad though, they are his favorite. Any suggestions for other toys? This is what he has now:
- stuffing less soft toys 
- antlers 
- a stuffed duck
- nylabones 
- football 
- kongs
- kong wobbler (only given at meal times)
- indoor jolly ball (he only gets this at certain times because we just chews on the plastic)

He likes to chew, but not as much as he prefers to chase down a ball. I'm open to new toy suggestions! Thanks!


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## Our3dogs (Apr 3, 2008)

If you want him to have the tennis balls, I think they sell larger ones. This way they can't roll under the furniture. Maybe he will grow to enjoy the larger ones for inside play?


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## golden_732 (Aug 26, 2013)

Our couches have almost a 3 inch gap, I'm pretty sure even the large tennis balls would go under there. I went out and bought him a new rope toy (the kind with a ball at the end) and a kong ballistic toy. Went around and took away all the tennis balls and he doesn't seem to really miss them.


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## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

Bentley plays with a golf ball Mike gave him. It's too small for him to have unsupervised but it's hilarious to watch him because he bats it around with his front feet so it quite often ends up under all the furniture. If he tries to get it he will either paw the couch or he'll just walk behind it and push it out of his way to get to the ball so I get up and retrieve it for him (hhmm I'm retrieving for a retriever). The golf ball is the only toy we have that problem with so it is put away if I'm not supervising him. I also make sure to let him know that he's not allowed to paw the furniture for any reason. 
He has the run of the house (mostly) when I'm not home and he's never chewed on anything or pawed anything yet...:crossfing


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