My Dog Loves the Ball: How Bad Can That Be?
There are ways to have fun with your dog without overdoing it with activities that can cause repetitive stress damage. photo: AdobeStock
As loving dog owners, we all want to do things that make them happy. This partially explains why so many dogs are overweight, but that is a different discussion. This one is about THE BALL!
As a veterinarian focused on muscular skeletal problems, I have a love/hate relationship with the ball. While many dogs clearly adore chasing them, too often owners use this activity as a shortcut to tire their dogs out, leading to repetitive soft tissue and joint injuries.
This doesn’t mean you should never throw the ball for your pup, but you should definitely consider how you are going about it and what kind of ball you use. Here are some important tips for safer play with your ball-obsessed pal.
Safety Tips for Better Ball Play
Warm Up With A Walk. Just as in human sports, warming up before any strenuous activity is also important for dogs. Muscles generally need 5-15 minutes of movement to get adequate blood flow and warmth in order to stretch properly and avoid injury, underscoring why it’s important to start with a walk prior to any ball activity.
Avoid Repetitive Motions. Most dogs will sprint to the ball, grab it, and do a sharp turn to bring it back. They usually turn the same direction creating lots of torque on the legs in the direction that they are turning. In addition, owners often go to the same place and throw the ball the same way, increasing the likelihood of strain on the dog’s legs. As long as the dog is warmed up, two extremely long runs with a chuck-it are better for their body than 10 short runs. That’s because grabbing and turning abruptly is harder on the body than acceleration and a long sprint. Your goal is to avoid the same repetitive motion on their legs.
Take Care With Jumps. Despite what you may see online, it is not good for dogs to jump straight up into the air and land on their hind legs first. If they are focused on the ball (or frisbee) and land on their hind legs first, there is often a twisting motion at the same time, making them very prone to knee and stifle injuries. It is much better for dogs to jump as if they were leaping over something so that they land on their front legs first. That’s why throwing the ball so that it lands on the ground in front of the dog is safer than encouraging them to jump in the air to catch it.
Watch for Fatigue. Too often, people throw a ball until their dog lies down panting and stops bringing the ball back to them. Do not trust your dog to know when their body is tired. They are working for you and will almost always push past the point when they should stop. It is much better to do a few throws and continue with a walk rather than forcing as much exercise as possible into a 30-minute fetch session.
Be Aware of Consequences. The growth plates in a large dog do not fully close until 18-24 months of age. But often dogs are most energetic when they are one to two years old, leading many owners to use the ball excessively during this period. In fact, many of the X-ray changes we see in middle-aged dogs are likely a result of trauma during this formative time of development.
No Tennis Balls! Despite their popularity, tennis balls should not be used for dogs as they can chew them into parts fairly easily, causing intestinal blockages that require surgery. The furry coating on tennis balls also causes excessive wear on a dog’s teeth. Instead, use rubber balls specifically designed for dogs. They last longer, and if the dogs carry them around for a long time, they do not fall apart or ruin their teeth.
No Ball If Your Dog Is Limping. “Sometimes my dog limps but it goes away once they start playing ball.” This is something I hear all the time from clients. Absolutely do not throw the ball for your dog if they have been limping at all. The excitement of chasing the ball will override any discomfort they are feeling and their injury will get worse. Please rest your dog at the first sign of limping and see your veterinarian if the limp persists.
Limit Ball Games to Every Other Day. “But my dog is obsessed with the ball,” say some clients. Well, my children are obsessed with candy, but not every day is Halloween. For dogs who love ball games, I recommend a maximum of every other day so that their bodies have a chance to get rid of the inflammation caused by ball chasing on the off day. In fact, many of these ball dogs are fairly happy to just take a walk carrying their ball, not chasing it.
Safer Alternatives for the Ball-Obsessed Dog
Throwing the ball into water for a swim is completely different from fetching on land as there’s no wear and tear on the joints and the dogs turn more slowly back with the ball. If you have access to water and your dog enjoys it, this is a much safer ball activity than dry land chasing.
Hunting for the ball is also great. You can put your dog in a sit-and-stay, then hide the ball in a park or yard and tell them to go find it. This way they can hunt for the ball without the abrupt changes of direction. Plus, they love it.
The bottom line? Use the ball in moderation and provide lots of cross-training to ensure that ball play is not the focus of the majority of your dog’s exercise. Remember, the goal is to keep them fit without repetitive exercise or overuse injuries.
With a little care, you can help even the most ball-obsessed dog stay healthy, avoiding painful injuries for them and costly vet visits for you. That means happier intermittent ball chasing for you both!