Hi,im just after a few opinions please.
We got a rescue lab 2 months ago,he is a super boy,but very ball obsessed. We do know his history and that he barley ever got exercised,but when he did it was 10 mins with a ball. My issue is do i let him have a ball on our walks or not,if we do its all he is focused on,which i think is a bit sad as i think he misses out on doggy things,but if i don't he spends his whole time looking for one or barking at dogs that have one!
This ball obsession is new to me as our other dog a goldie will only chase something she can eat!

I would say to start giving it to him less & less, not take it away altogether but try to wean him off it a little. Easy to say & not so easy to do, as if your like me, barking dogs are annoying. Maybe try to focus is mind on something else???

A toy obsessed dog is the easiest one there is to train -the police and army for instance will only accept dogs obsessed with balls, it is vital for them. Turn it into a reward! He only gets it when doing something right during training.

Thanks. The barking is very annoying as he gives off the wrong impression,as we know its excitement,but others who don't know him tend to panic!
He does work for it,i get him to lie,wait,sit etc so not just chucking it and he just had his 1st holiday to the seaside and loved retrieving from the water.
The only downside is he can be a bit protective of it,but only if another dog tries to take it from his mouth. 

I've had one!
In my hand he knew it was fair game, in my pocket and " that's enough" he knew game was over.
It takes a while, great consistency and no caving to pressure.

Our terrier is very tennis ball obsessed. We have a set area we visit for playing with tennis balls so he knows that's his time to play with them and nowhere else. We don't take them on any other walk and he's happy enough but given the chance there would be one stuck in his mouth at all times!.

Being protective, easier to take two then. If another dog steals my dogs tennis ball he gets really cross so there is always a spare in my pocket!

Willow , my little lab, is obsessed with balls and I rarely take one with us on walks because I think it spoils the walk. She'll have nothing to do with anything else and she keeps dropping it at my feet which massively gets on my nerves.Three times a week we have a special ball outing where I take her round the back field with one of those ball throwing things. She doesn't bark at other dogs with balls though. She just comes up to me and says' mum mum that other dog 's got a ball - how come we haven't got one?' :-)