February 29, 2024
Written By Kyra Wakeman
Ball Throwing
Veterinary professionals are regularly advising owners against ball throwing, you may think we are the fun police but your pets health is our biggest priority and sometimes that can come across as tough love. Ball throwing is something I witness everyday on my travels and I don't entirely blame owners for this, if your dogs daily highlight is the tennis ball how do you resist? Likewise, you cant do wrong if you don't know you're doing wrong so education is my only aim from this blog.
So what is ball chasing really doing to your dog?
- Repeated micro trauma to muscles and cartilage result in long term damage
- Unpredictable twists and turns puts excessive strain through muscles and joints, particularly the forelimbs
- Forceful and quick breaking forces cause uneven weight distribution through the forelimbs
- Over stimulation and increased adrenaline can lead to frantic or frustrated behaviours
- Fibrous coating of tennis balls result in dental wear
"Prevention is better than cure"
Alternatives to Ball Throw
- Hide and seek is a great way to still incorporate ball play in a more controlled manor. Hide and seek is mentally stimulating requiring critical thinking skills and a good sense of smell
- Wait and retrieve is another alternative to controlled ball play and reduces the risk of explosive acceleration, uncontrolled deceleration and torsion force
- Mental stimulation games (see below)
Top Tips for Ball Chasing
- Always provide an adequate warm up (at least 10 minutes, gradually increase cardiovascular demand, and include dynamic stretches)
- Always throw the ball low to the ground to prevent jumping, and high impact loading on the joints
- Always throw the ball at a short duration as to reduce explosive activity
- Do not throw a ball repetitively (high impact exercise should be restricted to 10 minutes a day unless adequately trained otherwise)
- Always throw a ball on appropriate flooring, slippery flooring will increase the risk of sliding, torsion
Further Reading:
Canine Arthritis Management; https://caninearthritis.org/article/on-throwing-balls/
https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/ways-to-keep-dog-mentally-stimulated
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