About OH of course, not my lovely Stanners Lately, OH has got Stanley ball bonkers. All they do is play fetch, every walk includes fetch. Which at first was fine.. whatever. But now I'm sick of it. I want to enjoy Stanley - not just watch him chase a ball backwards and forwards. It's really really boring! I never take a ball when it's just me and Stanley, and we interact, play hide and seek, do training etc. But whenever OH is there Stanleys just focused on watching him for the ball. We went to the beach yesterday, and all we did was throw the ball. Stanleys favourite walk ever is the river, when we went last time he didn't even seem to enjoy it because he wasn't focussed on where we were because OH was throwing the ball. When I tell OH not to bring it he says I'm being selfish because Stanley loves it. So I feel like I'm stuck I want my nice walks back - not just watching Stanley run backwards and forwards. Am I being unreasonable?
I don't think you are being unreasonable! Explain to OH that continual fetching a thrown ball is very bad for dog's joints. Perhaps he could hide the ball for Stanners to find, then both would be happy
Have a read of this, Jen: https://thecognitivecanine.com/2017/05/24/the-trouble-with-fetch/ You are not being unreasonable at all.
Would your OH consider rationing the ball - to keep it more exciting? (and to keep it easy on Stanley's joints). Coco loves to fetch a ball. I give him 10 fetches in a field or on the beach after our lead walk, or when we're off lead in the plantation, I give a fixed number of fetches at special spots on the walk. Coco looks forward to them for sure, but he certainly enjoys all the other training and games he gets when not fetching.
I'm in exactly the same situation as you I've decided, for the sake of harmony in the household to do all the more interesting things when its just Molly and me. Otherwise, I hope that OH sometimes decided not to take the ball and guess what? Sometimes he doesn't. Good luck with getting some proper interesting time with Stanley.
I used to ration the ball/dummy too . Sam was passionate about retrieving , almost to the point of obsession , so I nipped it in the bud . I get what you mean completely @JenBainbridge , walks should be about enjoying , sniffing , trotting along, exploring etc . and definitely not just about chasing a ball , good for you , stick to your guns x
I do a bit of both. At the local rec where it's a big expanse of green I take the ball and in one of the fields we'll play ball games, maybe for 10 mins max. Anywhere else like forest, downs etc., the ball stays home. Could you have a similar arrangement where the ball only goes to certain places?
God, I hate constant ball. It's so boring! Mine (almost) only ever have a ball as a reward for training.
Thanks everyone! The new rule is when I'm there, the ball doesn't come or OH doesn't come. I'll allow a few throws on the beach cos I do know Stanley enjoys that. OH is sulking and didn't come on the walk today. We had a lovely time and Stanley didn't even notice there wasn't a ball. The river is my special walk with Stanley that we've loved since he's been a pup - and OH is not tainting it. It's far too important to me
Edie GSD is ball obsessed. I taught her "finish" which she (eventually) accepted, so she gets 3 or 4 throws then finish. It comes in handy when we meet a nasty or on-lead dog in a narrow lane though. Edie is so obsessed she will ignore anything if I make ready to throw her ball. ( I do throw it once or twice as a reward once we are past the dog though. Only fair!)
Harley loves her ball and I rarely go out without it. She doesn’t necessarily want it thrown, more that she wants to carry it. She likes to play ball with her friends, and even then it’s usually only thrown a bit as they like to chase each other with it in their mouths. When it’s just us two I might throw it 6-7 times during a walk but hide another so when she comes back she has to find it. My OH used to just throw it all the time, but after me putting my foot down he does the same as me now. Good luck re-training the OH!
Good move! Mine are not allowed a ball at all. Neither seem deprived to me Zaba has a ball, but it only comes out in designated spots for swimming purposes. .
Good for you Jen, training the OH is always much harder than the dog. Neither of my dogs are bothered about a ball, Hattie will sometimes retrieve but she certainly doesn't miss out on anything on a walk because she is with me and I am far more important to her x
Why am I so ridiculous? After all this.. I've bought OH a tennis ball NERF gun for his birthday from Stanley I couldn't resist. It will make him so happy!
Not ridiculous at all, I buy my children and David Christmas presents from Hattie & Charlie, much to their amusement Hope he enjoys the NERF gun, whatever it is x
