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We are delighted that our new rescue Toby likes to play fetch. Only thing is he likes it too much and we are having a hard time getting him to stop.
He has outside tennis balls and inside tennis balls. When we throw it, he eagerly brings in back, drops it at our feet, quivers his little tail and doesn't take his eyes off the ball. When I get tired of this game, I have put the ball out of his sight but he goes bonkers all over the house trying to find it. I was afraid he would have a stroke.
I have tried ignoring him but he keeps putting it right at us, even throwing it in my lap when I'm sitting down. Last night he actually laid it at the feet of one of our cats. Kitty was not amused.
He brings it to bed and keeps it close. he puts it behind me while I'm in the kitchen cooking and I'm afraid I'm gonna trip and break my neck.
Maybe when you take it away you could give him something tasty to work on like a knuckle bone or a stuffed Kong. I bet when he's been in your house a little longer he'll "branch out" in his interests and won't focus so much on the tennis ball.
I was forgetting he was a Bichon. Maybe something a little smaller than a knuckle bone! But you get what I mean.
Maybe when you take it away you could give him something tasty to work on like a knuckle bone or a stuffed Kong. I bet when he's been in your house a little longer he'll "branch out" in his interests and won't focus so much on the tennis ball. I was forgetting he was a Bichon. Maybe something a little smaller than a knuckle bone! But you get what I mean.
Mine is half Bichon! Perhaps some of this "obsession" is a breed trait?
We have the same problem with our German Shepherd. She loves playing fetch and takes her Kong with her everywhere. If she's not getting enough attention she will put it behind you on your seat or nudge you with it. She's a nut!
Kona is a major ball dog. We give her what we think is enough play time and then we tell her "three more" and count out 3 tosses, then we tell her "last one" and we trot in the house and get a treat. She's not allowed to have balls in the house, between the slobber ball marks on the walls, dropping the gooey ball on the coffee table/laptop/company's lap and way too many broken glasses ball is now an outdoor sport.
lol! I have the same problem with my poodle, Trevor. He LOVES to play fetch but he loves it a little too much... he just won't stop once we start. He wakes me up when I'm sleeping by whimpering and whinning, which becomes increasingly impatient when I continue to sleep. He won't stop until I start playing fetch with his plush carrot or squirrel. I have to end up giving him a treat and then hiding his favorite toys for a few hours.
My Staffie is the same, we keep playing with him until he stops. Hubby finds it a pain if he wants to watch football, so I take Duke out for a walk. That suits everyone.
Yes, you are mean to not want to play ball 24-7 with your poor lil' dog! You need four kids, that wears the dog out, even a tireless dog, finally breaks.
Put the toys up. The walk or some obedience is a nice transition. Even a highly driven crazy dog can learn to be mellow in the house. If you have multiples it gets real old having toys pushed in your face while you are trying to read or work on the computer.....
Tennis balls. Hard on the teeth and new info coming out they may contain carcinogens that cause mouth cancer in dogs.
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