3 tips for playing ball with your dog
Some dogs are real ball junkies. Playing ball with your dog is part of life with a dog. However, it is not so easy without rules. It can quickly happen that the dog no longer listens or you can no longer find your way out of the game because the dog keeps begging. To enable you to have a nice and relaxed ball game with your dog, we have summarized three tips here. If you take these three tips to heart, both you and your dog will have a lot of fun playing ball.
Why can ball junkies be dangerous?
Many dogs forget everything around them when playing ball. They chase after the ball with joy, regardless of losses. In the process, they can quickly forget all caution and accidentally run into the street or run over a passerby. They can also suddenly become aggressive towards other dogs and dog owners. To avoid this, you must teach your dog a few rules. When you have practiced these with him and he has internalized them, then you can play ball together.
When the dog is overwhelmed
It's not just the dog that can be dangerous to others or put himself in harm's way. You can also do things wrong when playing ball. If you play too long or too wildly, it can cause serious damage to your dog's health. Especially ball junkies don't realize that they are actually exhausted or thirsty. This can lead to joint problems for your dog, for example.
Three tips for playing ball with the dog
- Tip 1: Warm up the dog
- Tip 2: Teach clear positions
- Tip 3: The human determines the end of the game
Warming up for the dog
In order to protect the dog's joints, it is important that he warms up beforehand. This is the same as when we want to run a sprint. Without warm-up exercises, our muscles and ligaments would quickly tear or ache. The best way for a dog to warm up is to run in lightly, for example going for a quick walk or throwing the ball only a short distance at first.
Teach clear positions
For a ball game, your dog should already know and be able to follow clear prompts like "bring", "sit" or "fetch". It is best if the dog always starts from a calm position. This way you have control that your dog listens to you and does not get in the way of another person. For example, the dog starts from the "sit" position and should not start running until you call "fetch".
The human determines the end of the game
Last but not least, it is important that you end the game and not the dog. You should observe sensitively whether your dog is getting tired. If so, you should end the game promptly. It is especially important that the dog does not convince you to throw again and again, although you have actually had enough of the game. You decide when the game is over. The dog must learn to look forward to the next game and not to beg.
