Borders and Balls

[borderfreak]

Everbody knows that borders can become balljunkies. So, some people say balls are an absolutly no go for borders. Other say it's okay to ball carefully. what is right and how do you handle it? any experiences?

[sandra s.]

Neither of ours is a ball junkie. They play ball when we play ball with them, then the ball disappears in my pocket (yuck!) and that's it.

 

Kessie, however, is a snowball junkie. In the long winter with a lot of snow, we had two places that we would mostly go to for snowball games. If I had been more consistent about playing snowball games ONLY there, she probably would have accepted that very quickly. That's what I'm going to do if we ever get a winter like that again.

 

Someone I know uses the same approach for ball games: she and her dog have "playing fields", and that's where they play ball. I think that would work with a ball-crazy BC as well. If playing ball is firmly linked to a certain place, it might keep them from asking for the ball in every other place you go. Or maybe I'm underestimating BCs here!

 

As far as I know, the ones who say "no balls at all" are mostly people who work their dogs. They are concerned that playing ball might damage the dogs' will or ability to work livestock. There are two interesting threads in the stockdog section dealing with this question at the moment.

[Shetlander]

Quinn is crazy about all his fetch toys, period. I keep them put away in the garage unless it's time to play. This way I avoid a dog following me around jabbing me in the leg with a ball or Frisbee and constantly looking for a game of fetch. Hope still springs eternal and any time I head towards the kitchen which leads to the garage, Quinn is right there, hoping for the fun to start. But I think keeping the special toys up mkes it clearer when it's time to relax and when it's ok for him to become crazed and intense. This method also keeps him from destroying his fetch toys since he is such an aggressive chewer. He has free access to Nylabones to gnaw on whenever he wants.

[badgerboy]

Badger is anything that you can throw freak, balls are his favorite, I have to just ignore him if he goes on and on, he sits there looking at the ball almost willing it to move he has learnt the word "enough" and knows I will not throw it anymore once that word is said, its all about you being in control really.

[OurBoys]

badgerboy is right. It's all in the training. JJ is such a ball freak, if it's round, it's a ball. Right now, we have to keep an eye on him because of the tomatoes on the tomato plants. The first time we brought home a pumpkin after adopting him, he thought it was a toy for him.

 

We use "That'll do" for their 'off switch' words.

[Anda]

Ouzo is a ball-addict. He's part of the TBAA (Tennis ball adicts annonymous). He does know "That's enough", which he interprets in his own way. He stops pestering US to throw his balls, but he continues to play with them by himself, and what other fun game one can play by themselves, other than "Shove-the-ball-under-the-couch-then-stare-desperatly-at-it-then-start-sighting-and-crying-for-help-to-rescue-it"?! He has us trained very well.

See photographic evidence of his behavior:

 

 

 

 

 

Confiscating the ball from under the couch and puting it in a closet does not end the obsession, rather it creates a new one: stalking the closet and making sure everyone in the house (Chris and I, that is ) knows what an injustice has been commited, and he goes and tells on us. If Chris took his balls and put them in the bathroom closet, Ouzo comes to me and "tells on Chris" and gets me to follow him to where the balls are. Little brat...

[M.L.]

I only bring out the ball when it is time for a game of fetch. I never leave them lying around the house unless I want Bailey staring at me all night, barking obnoxiously while dropping the ball in my lap. When fetch is done, the ball goes out of site. He will try to bring my the kong and whatever other toys are around the house, so they slowly go into the cabinet as the day wears on.