Hi, Harvey - 8 month old CKCS is OBSESSED with footballs. I don't know where the fascination has come from but it is a nightmare when we are out in the parks full of children with footballs. If he is off lead and spots a ball across the field, I have no control what so ever and he is off completely oblivious to the world around him including me - I'm constantly on the look out for footballs ahead so that I can get him back on lead quickly before he see's it. The only way that I can retrieve him is to go across to whoever has the ball where Harvey will be stood wagging his tail and yapping away with glee. If the football is picked up away from Harvey, he jumps up and nips the crotch area of the person holding it His recall in any other situation is very good but this behaviour really does baffle me. Today we have been to a big country park which was full of families with footballs - it was a total NIGHTMARE, Harvey spent most of the time on lead yapping and lunging in the direction of any footballs, he is not at all agressive towards them and given the oppertunity to play with one, he has a great time chasing it round in circles all the time yapping away, what can I do to stop this obsession and make him realise that he can't go pestering anyone with a football?

Hope someone can help

Hayley

Can you buy him his own ?? My younger dog has her own (well several) - one has ropes attached and she carries it to the fields and back so she can play with it - hopefully they make small ones :D

Daisy

How about the small one :D http://tinyurl.com/ewwxs

He has his own Daisy but is totally not interested with it once he see's another one in motion, then he's off making a nuisance of himself and I end up carrying a soggy, slimey football around for the rest of the walk:rolleyes: Also, he isn't interested in the smaller type balls, only full sized footballs.

Hayley

Sounds as though you will just have to keep him on the lead until his recall is better then :(

Daisy

Hmmm, maybe it's a job for a trainer.

my girl Ellie became obsessed with footballs because my son played football with her in the garden from a young pup .
When ellie was younger she would run off after other peoples footballs she even pinched a blokes rugby ball and ran off with it  <<blush>> he wasnt amused!
We used this to our advantage by always having a ball be it a football ,small ball, ball on a rope.. whatever ...she focused on it and never leaves my side.

For the first half hour in the park we actually play football with her if I am alone I kick the ball she chases it stops it with her legs then I run and kick it again when my OH is with me we kick it to each other and she chases it once we think she has run herself ragged without becoming exhausted we pop the football in a bag and the little ball comes out to play LOL while we go on our walk by this time she isnt interested in anyone elses ball as she knows when we reach the other side of the park and she has got her breath back we will have another game.
If she does become distracted I just shout wheres your ball and she comes running back.

HTH

Roni