Can a dog be too obsessed with fetch?
Adela Hagenes
2025-05-21 05:32:13
Count answers: 3
At first it’s all fun and games, but the impact that a ball obsession can have on a dog’s body does not bode well for them as they move into old age so, as hard as it is, the kindest thing you can do is keep jarring ball chasing to a minimum. It can also become increasingly frustrating if your dog continually ignores you when they are in this ‘zone’ and hard to understand why your usually obedient dog has suddenly gone deaf to your please to ‘stop’. The truth is the dog is just being a dog and doing what biology is telling it to do. And, when a dog is in this prey drive it is actually experiencing a drug-like induced high as their body releases endorphins that make them feel good, which as we all know can be addictive and therefore explains why they keep wanting to do it despite us trying to ignore them, hide the ball or stick, shouting at them to stop and so on. If this kind of play is done correctly it will not only help exercise your dog, build stamina and strength but it will also help your dog to learn to focus and engage with you even when it is in prey drive. It is all about it being on your terms, not theirs and it is also important that if your dog is pulling up sore, or is starting to age, that you shift to games that are more gentle on their joints like tug-o-war or treat treasure hunt to help avoid osteoarthritis and other joint pain.
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- How do I know when to stop playing fetch with my dog?