Psycho about balls help!!

[shepherdmom]

Tasha our rescue is absolutley crazy for any ball and we have a lot of balls just laying around. JW, kong, etc... She will lay on it, talk to it, throw it at us and focus on it to the exclusion of everything else. She does not do this with other toys. We would like to help her understand there are other good things in life. Should we pick up all the balls or would that traumatize her further.

[Packen]

Use her drive to your advantage. Select the one she likes best and use it only for rewarding behaviors acceptable to you. In other words, use it as a training tool.

[Jag]

LOL! I don't know if there actually is anything better to a GSD than a ball! Unless the dog is guarding the balls, I personally don't see an issue. Do you have a Chuckit?

[shepherdmom]

Originally Posted by Jag

LOL! I don't know if there actually is anything better to a GSD than a ball! Unless the dog is guarding the balls, I personally don't see an issue. Do you have a Chuckit?

Well she lets us take them from her and she will let the boys (i.e Buddy and Ivan) occasionally get ahold of but she is really is so intenstly focused on the ball that it is just wierd. I've never seen anything quite like it before and I've had shepherds for a long time and known a lot of ball shepherds but never one quite like this.

[shepherdmom]

Originally Posted by Packen

Use her drive to your advantage. Select the one she likes best and use it only for rewarding behaviors acceptable to you. In other words, use it as a training tool.

7 year old rescue shepherd. She had her tail amputated and a rock removed from her stomach before we got her. We got her about 7 weeks ago. Do you think taking them up will traumatize her further? I hate to take anything away that helps give her comfort but I really want her to know there are other good things too.

[Elaine]

I can't have anything that is even remotely ball related just laying around because my dogs are obsessive about them. I do use them for training and it's the greatest thing ever!

[Jo Ellen]

Hah, I have a golden retriever that could care less about balls. It never occurred to me that my German shepherd would be my ball-obsessed dog. Actually comes in very handy, great motivator. If I want to recall him, distract him, engage him...all I have to say is "Where's your ball!" I use balls to socialize him with my neighbors' children also.

I wouldn't try to change your dog's obsession, you both may end up very frustrated and unhappy. Look for games with balls. This summer, a friend brougth over a mobile tether-ball yard game ... we had fun with that.

I wonder how he'd be with the Jolly Egg ball?

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

Sounds like there is some OCD there maybe with rocks? Did she chase her tail? That's usually why we see them amputated.

[Jax08]

Originally Posted by Packen

Use her drive to your advantage. Select the one she likes best and use it only for rewarding behaviors acceptable to you. In other words, use it as a training tool.

This ^^^

Jax has her favorite toys. The search for her Ruffwear egg shaped toy is always interesting. She often just carries it around. Her Kong frisbee's. I have inside toys and outside toys. The egg is inside. Frisbee's are outside. I would just pick toys that are ok for her to have inside and put the others up.

I don't think putting all the balls up will traumatize her but if she's anything like Jax, she'll go to the spot they are normally kept, stare at the spot, bark at you, stare at the spot, jump up at the spot, bark at you...sometimes it's just easier to let them have their toy. LOL

[Maggies Dad]

Originally Posted by Packen

Use her drive to your advantage. Select the one she likes best and use it only for rewarding behaviors acceptable to you. In other words, use it as a training tool.

Best answer ever!