Safe ball play

Ball play, the seemingly innocent game that so many guardians enjoy playing with their companions, is actually not the harmless activity it appears to be. Although this game seems innocent enough and most dogs love it, the long-term impact of this game is far more negative, than positive.

When one sits and actually watches how your companion partakes in the game, it becomes quite clear that there is daily damage happening as they chase the ball. Most dogs do not slowly lope after the ball, stop, and then pick it up. The game generally consists of a dog charging after a ball, then either slamming on brakes to grab it, or ying up in the air, twisting and turning, to catch the ball. Let’s not even touch on the dangers of the ball throwers or automatic ball launchers… When we think about the shearing and concussive forces this activity exerts on the body, we can start to picture the slow damage that is occurring every time your companion charges after a ball.

You may argue that you have always played ball with your dog and never had them sustain an injury. We would counter this by saying that whilst sudden, traumatic images can absolutely occur whilst playing ball, the majority of damage is chronic and slowly develops over time until one day the damage becomes so severe that your companion appears lame and is no longer able to take part in the game without experiencing pain. The repetitive, explosive nature of this game leads to arthritic changes to the bones, as well as repetitive strain injuries to the soft tissues. The most common injuries caused by ball playing involve the cruciate ligament of the sti e/knee, the iliopsoas muscle, the shoulder joints, and the lumbar spine.

Another unhealthy component to ball play is the obsessive nature that fuels the game. Our companions truly become obsessed and addicted to not only the act of chasing the ball, but to the reward and praise that you give them when they bring it back. The retrieve becomes addictive, often to the guardian too, with both companion and guardian seeming to get lost in this trance of hit, chase, retrieve, reward, and repeat. The combination of adrenaline fuelled addiction and a physical activity creates muscle overload. Muscle overload is the point at which the body is no longer able to regulate its body heat and it is when injuries happen. A great tool to know when your companion is going into overload is to look at the tip of their tongues whilst they are panting. Once the tip of the tongue become wide and starts to curl, the body has gone into overload. Once muscle overload is reached, we enter the injury zone as the body is fatigued and no longer able to protect itself. We do not want to be allowing our companions to enter this state.

We understand that many companions, and guardians, derive great joy from this game and that it may be the only form of exercise your companion gets. So, here are a few tips and tricks to make ball play safer for your companion:

1. Try to throw the ball into a shrub or bush so that your companion needs to stop and search for the ball. Searching is one of the greatest stimuli for your companion and they thoroughly enjoy it. By asking your companion to search for a ball, they will be mentally stimulated, which is an excellent form of stimulation and often leads to fatigue long before any form of physical exercise.

2. Another effective technique, which can be used in combination with the one mentioned above, is to only allow your companion to run once the ball has stopped. This will require you to restrain your companion with a harness, throw the ball, then once it has landed and stopped rolling, allow them to run. Preferably, the ball would be thrown into long grass or some form of cover so your companion would need to slow down and then nd the ball.

3. Another fun game is to throw the ball between two people, similar to what is known as ‘Piggy in the Middle’. Your companion can see the ball being thrown and is able to run up and down between the people, but there is no jerking, twisting, or slamming into the ground. To keep this game fair and engaging, be sure to allow your companion to catch the ball every now and then as this will make them feel like they are still a part of the game, and that they actually ‘win’ too.

4. Another technique, which needs to be done correctly to be effective, is to simply roll the ball on the ground towards your companion. Encourage your companion to move away from you, or walk away from your companion and roll the ball back towards them. We do not want the lunging at the ball or slamming on breaks to stop it, so if this starts happening, then you will need to nd a different technique.

5. For those companions who enjoy swimming, one can also incorporate ball play in the swimming pool. Please do exercise caution as swimming requires a great deal of physical strength and stamina, so we need to make sure we do not overdo the swimming part. We must be particularly careful to avoid muscle overload with this technique.

We understand the appeal, and the bond that is formed, whilst playing ball with your companion, but the reward is not worth the damage that is being caused every time the ball is thrown. We hope that some of the tips mentioned above will encourage you to nd a new way to play ball, and that both you and your companion can nd a way to enjoy the activity together without risking injury.

ANIMAL HEALTH AND HYDRO RYNFIELD

154 President Brand Str, Rynfield, Benoni

Contact: 083 230 2188

Email: animalhealths@gmail.com

ANIMAL HEALTH AND HYDRO PRETORIA EAST

218 Mark St, Grootfontein County Estates, Pretoria East, Grootfontein Country Estates

Contact: 074 251 4410

Email: ahahpretoria@gmail.com