Ball

Here's a question for you all. Do any of your dogs walk with a tennis ball or stick. Reason I'm asking is I've discovered axl likes to hold a tennis ball in his mouth and I just tried giving him his tennis ball when I walked him tonight. Just as I thought he held it the whole way dropping it only when we stopped and picking it up again when we moved. Here's the thing he's dog aggressive and I'm wondering if carrying his tennis ball will stop him going crazy when he sees a dog or maybe it will make him worse if he thinks he needs to protect his ball. Any thoughts?

Flo is distracted by her Kong Stix.. I use it all the time when she gets fixated, never fails. What does fail though, is when she runs off after a Squirrel and drops it in the middle of some huge flippin bush    and then I have to find a way of getting it back !

Certainly worth a try Debs... Works for me.

I've learnt recently that carrying a ball/stick has helped DA pooches

Yep Ledger is completely uninterested in other dogs when he has a ball in his mouth and if they approach him he trots off the other way but also 100% listens to me when he has his ball (except for 'spit' he won't give that ball up for anything other than an identical ball)

We did have an issue when he had a stick and another staffy went to take it off him but the ball is nice and safely enclosed.

Could indeed help.

What does fail though, is when she runs off after a Squirrel and drops it in the middle of some huge flippin bush and then I have to find a way of getting it back !

   that is brilliant, bless Flo!

Axl dropped his ball this morning in the middle of a load of prickles to toilet only he didn't want to pick it up again, it was too close to poop site! So after picking up the poop I had to wade into prickles and stinging nettles to get it   He gladly took it off me again though... he's got this game of fetch well sussed   

It may well work as a distraction tool for him, whatever works for you both I guess.

Worth a try  

Sounds good. Can't say I have much experience with it but I do remember Sara writing the other day that Oz is similar with his sticks.

My OH took the ball with him for a walk today and although he didn't see any dogs close up, there was one in the distance and my OH bounced the ball, he said Axl's attention didn't leave him until he put the ball away I told him to give Axl the ball once he's got his focus as he forgot that bit lol... seems positive though and at least its something

yayy!! Is he eating yet?

That's brilliant debs.
Playing ball the only time Alfie will "relax" his pulling and look out for dogs, although if one does come along the ball is dropped and completely forgotten.

Great news, took Ledger out with his today on our way back i put him on lead going past the kids play park but left him to carry the ball and there was a particularly boistrous pestering boxer pup that just kept goading Ledger to play so pleased of him he had a bit of a grump not even a growl but just kept trotting on

yayy!! Is he eating yet?

Yes the little monkey had me so worried when I got home on Monday night, he had left the Dentastick my OH had given him in the middle of the room untouched and he was very listless and tired. He didn't even look up when I walked in I was minutes away from taking him to the vets but I thought I'd try him with some cheese on his dinner.... he scoffed the lot! I put a few more biscuits in his bowl and he left those. Then we had 10 minutes of playing hide and seek with his ball. The second time I hid the ball he ran over to his Dentastick and scoffed that then went to his bowl and ate rest of his biscuits... I think the hunger strike is finally over!