Why is my dog overly obsessed with a ball?
Dedrick Crist
2025-06-27 16:41:26
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The truth is the dog is just being a dog and doing what biology is telling it to do (ie: chase prey to survive!). 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. Wasn’t it in fact us humans that first started encouraging them to chase the ball, stick, frisbee (aka a ‘prey’ like object) mindlessly for hours on end for no other purpose than to exercise the dog? We of course think it is the dog that has gone crazy with its obsession when, from their point of view, we’re the ones that have become totally unreasonable.
Nils Ferry
2025-06-27 18:19:12
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Balls can be a useful tool for playtime and for training your dog. Some dogs just can’t get enough of anything that’s round and rolls. The trouble starts when a dog becomes obsessed with balls, to the point where they aren’t at all interested in other dog toys and they can’t concentrate on their training or any other type of activity. Some dogs can even get tunnel vision when their ball is thrown, bounding after it and knocking anything (and anyone) out of the way, and ignoring your commands as they do so. Some breeds are more predisposed than others to be obsessed with playing fetch.
If you want to address your dog's ball obsession, then reducing the time they spend practising and reinforcing their ball addiction will help a lot. Balls can be great fun, but their use as a training aid for learning new skills and behaviours is limited. Learn more about what drives this behaviour in our blog on why your dog loves to play fetch.
Anita Boyle
2025-06-27 16:10:45
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If you have a dog that is overly excited when he sees or encounters a ball you’re probably wondering why is your dog obsessed, is it normal. Having a dog that is obsessed with a ball can become an issue when your dog views the ball as more relevant than you and anything around him. This state of mind will essentially ensure conflict between your dog and others, many dog fights occur due to competition for high-value resources between dogs. Many dog behaviors start as voluntary but with enough repetition, the behavior becomes involuntary meaning your dog won’t be able to control how he responds instead it will be “auto-response”. If your dog starts becoming a bit possessive towards the ball, showing behaviors such as avoiding you when he has the ball, growling when you get close, your dog may look at the ball as high value and can become an issue. If your dog starts displaying signs of anxiety such as whining and vocalizing your dog may little too obsessed with the ball.
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