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Fear Of Balls


Guest Duke

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Guest Duke

So Duke has been with me for three almost four months now and has not shown any fear of objects in particular. Until now. I live in an apartment on the top floor of a house. My landlords, also friends of mine, allow me to use the backyard. Their four-year-old son has toys in the back and one of them being a large round blue ball. This has put fear into Duke, he won’t go near the backyard; he goes from my door to the side gate. Any suggestions as to how to get him desensitized?

 

 

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Guest NeroAmber

My Amber has the same problem with my blue exercise ball, she's not over it, but is getting better, I sit on it and call her to me, first I used treats but now she's learning that if she comes to me on the blue ball she gets lots of fuss and petting. She'll go near it when it's still, but still freaks out when it rolls, so it's still on-going training. I hope that helped a bit, good luck!

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Guest Swifthounds

He's probably afraid of it because it's unlike anything he has seen before (assuming you don't have one of those ball pits in a corner of your apartment :P ) and it moves - on its own. To desensitize him, create positive associations with he ball and and work up to getting him to walk closer and closer to it and reward and praise.

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Guest TeddysMom

Spice is also scared of big balls, plastic milk jugs and most anything that is out of place. I will be interested in learning what solutions can be used to get her over being afraid.

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Guest Bang_o_rama

To hear Bang tell it, my cruel wife Gina cornered the poor pup in a corner and used a potato gun to fire green tennis balls at her at high speed until she was bloody and semi-conscious. So now she is afraid of green tennis balls when held by Gina. Green ones are OK if I have them, and other colors are OK no matter who wields them.

 

Strange dogs, greyhounds....

 

~D~

Edited by Bang_o_rama
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Molly is afraid of any ball being held, thrown, or bounced --- especially if by a child. She'll try to run/hide and won't go one inch closer in that direction.

 

 

Jennifer, Mike and the menagerie ---

Molly (Blue Sky Dreamin), Tinker (BT My Lil Girl) and their feline brothers Miles and Lewis

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Guest krystolla

Hack was afraid of anything thrown (including treats) but we've gotten passed that by gently tossing tasty treats around. He's still afraid of basketballs -- there are a few basketball playing kids around here and he's afraid of kids too. I'm hoping I can start with a non-moving basketball in a safe place like the backyard and work my way up to walking by the basketball games.

 

I think taking the scary object out of it's context may help. The ball in the house might be less scary than it is in the yard, or if you are carrying it on a walk that might be less scary than coming across it in the backyard.

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Try rolling it. A lot of greyhounds are afraid of balls if someone just picks them up and throws them, start out rolling it around. Walk over to it, call him and if he comes give him a treat and roll the ball away from both of you again. Once he associates the treat with the ball, it might not be so scary. If he starts to chase the ball and you see he's having fun, then you can try and throw it.

 

I was lucky to have a very confident female and she loved balls and frisbee's and she taught every other dog that came in to not fear them.

Judy, mom to Darth Vader, Bandita, And Angel

Forever in our hearts, DeeYoGee, Dani, Emmy, Andy, Heart, Saint, Valentino, Arrow, Gee, Bebe, Jilly Bean, Bullitt, Pistol, Junior, Sammie, Joey, Gizmo, Do Bee

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Guest Duke

 

 

Small balls he is not afraid of but large balls yes, they seem to be terrorizing. I will need to bring it in the house as suggested and maybe for a walk or drive in the car, two of his favorite activities. Thanks all for the responses. Oh and now it is fireworks season and he has startled with those noises. Love him so still.

 

 

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Guest greybookends

One of the GT members here does little cartoons sometimes and did one about a hound who was afraid of the ball. I can't remember who it is. Does anyone have the cartoon?

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