Need some help please. Getting Harley back on his lead after playing.

Hi all, Need some advice on how to get Harley to come back onto the lead after we have played with the ball. Every morning we go either onto the common or down to the field and play with the ball, he used to drop the ball and we were able to grab his harness and put him back on the lead but recently he has wised up to this and seems to sense when we are going to leave the park. He runs off with the ball and wont come near to be put on his lead. We have tried telling him to stay and when I get within a metre of him he runs off and thinks its a game.
We have tried cooking liver and tempting him with that but he wont because his ball is his prize  I am also getting to the point where I am nervous to let him off the lead when I am on my own because I was 30 mins trying to get him back on it the other day even rolling around on the floor like a lunatic- he would run over, see me going to grab him and off he would go. 

Really stuck on what to do next as he loves chasing his ball. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks

Have you tried running from him? I knw Marleys younger but he's stubborn about coming bk on the lead too he will sit and not come near me, if I walk towards him he bolts. So I tried running away from him and he followed me till I stopped and put him bk on the lead. I do this all the time with him now little buggers ain't they haha

Hi emma no I havent tried that one i will give it ago. There to bright for there own good some times lol little scamp he is

Have you considered a long line? It would make it much easier to leave when you want to.

Ok thanks jstaff, yes he has a long line how would we use it? Would letting it trail work?

Was also going to suggest a line! I have a 50ft one that is attached to Bug's harness at all times when out, and left to trail. It can get a bit grubby, but is a lifesaver for us (Bug's reactive and will chase livestock). Doesn't have to be a forever thing, but will certainly help while you're training

b_phippsy wrote:Ok thanks jstaff, yes he has a long line how would we use it? Would letting it trail work?

Just let it trail. If he is playing by himself it's no issue. If you have a number of dogs with long lines playing together the lines can get tangled so it's a bit trickier. Letting it trail means you only have to get withing 50 feet of him to catch him so it will help your issue.

Thank you guys. I am ordering one as we speak

hi beth as harley is nearly a teenager i would suggest a long line too hen, or as emma says run away from him he will then think where is my mum going it doesn't take them s to figure stuff out . thing ive realised over the years people say dogs are daft but sometimes they're more clever than humans