# Ball Obsession



## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

Yes, it's very common in Goldens (and in Labs). Since he was a stray, there's no telling whether the obsession was (inadvertently) nurtured by the previous owners. 

As I've said before, my lab is ball obsessed. I actually had to pick up a ball in the yard yesterday because she started obsessing over my throwing it. We have taken away all outside balls because she's had a partially torn CCL that will cause her pain if she's chasing the ball. She is an ace at catching them, too. She never misses!

I've seen many a golden carrying 2 or 3 balls at one time!


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## LauraBella (Feb 9, 2010)

My girl has been known to "nap" on top of hers when she's tired of playing. To guard them from others. So, I'm really proud she'll share when she's told to. And she can sniff them out of ANYWHERE! So can this new guy.

Even though Belles loves tennis balls, she's not obsessed. She'll carry them around like a pacy, but she'll also carry a favorite stuffie instead. And she's redirectable. This guy: wow. Never seen such. He LOVES affection, but won't be still to pet if he sees the ball.

There's nothing quite as cute as TWO Golden bottoms up in the air as they paw under the couch for ball they've sniffed out. It would be sooooo much easier to get it for them, though, if they weren't trying to help.

Glad to know that it can "just happen" and not be the result of being deprived in some way.

Do good hunting dogs start out this way? Obsessed with retrieving and object? (Not that I hunt; just curious. I guess I should ask Dad this; Grandaddy used to breed and train English Setters for the field.)


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

Dogs with that strong of ball drive would make great drug sniffing dogs. They'll work really hard so that they can get the reward of the ball. I always said that would have been a great career for Jasmine, if she hadn't had bad hips.


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

This can be inconvenient at times, but it's great for training. I'd recommend you find an instructor who can show you how to use the ball as a reinforcer, as well as use the ball to develop other reinforcers. With many of these dogs, we give them a treat, after they eat it, we throw the ball....and soon they LOVE food even more than before. And just think of how great their responses are to cues when we've used the ball as a reinforcer.

This is a dog thing.... you can get all breeds like this, though its a bit more common in breeds who have been bred for working-with-people (retrievers, some types of herding dogs, etc) than other breeds....but I've seen in in all sorts of dogs!


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

My APBT Vendetta is ball crazy. She will do anything for her ball. I play fetch with her everyday 2 sometimes 3 times a day. I do make her drop her ball before coming in the house. She has balls out in the house but this is my way of telling the game is over. If she wants to carry her ball to the top of the stairs and then run and get it that is up to her but I am not part of that game. 

Maybe if you play a good fast game with him and then remove the ball and make that time a afterwards a quite time he will stop obsessing over his ball.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Laurabella*

LAURA

I googled ball obsession in Golden Retrievers and look at all I found!

Ball Obsession in Golden Retrievers - Google Search


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## LauraBella (Feb 9, 2010)

Did I mention that he sometimes likes to dunk his ball in his water bowl? He brings it to me all drippy, too! 

His teeth are SERIOUSLY worn down, poor guy.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Laura*

Laura

That is a hoot!! Our Snobear used to do that.
How old is Fozzie?


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## janine (Aug 8, 2009)

And you can't hide a tennis ball from a ball obsessed golden....just ask Chester  they know where you put them!!! High on a shelf, closet, the car...nope can't be hidden. Chester also thinks balls fall out of the sky near tennis courts just for him.


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

Hank has a tennis ball obsession, so they are kept outside on a shelf. He only has them when we play fetch.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

My new boy Remy is very ball obessed, I thought Taz was, but Remy is by far much worse. I have to put the ball away in order to get him to eat and at bed time.

I have used the ball for training- he didn't know how to use the Pet Doors I have. I found using the ball was more effective than using treats.


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## JeanninePC99 (Aug 2, 2007)

We have a little box outside the door for our tennis balls. It's Baxter's first stop when we head out. 

We stash some balls in low trees and Bax will check each tree we use if we don't let him take a ball out. 

I'm proud that he's a phenomenal retriever, but wish he wasn't quite as fixated sometimes. If he's tired, he'll lay down with his ball when we are at our little complex doggie park, guarding it while the others run around.


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