Fascination with tennis balls

[Remington & Maggie]

Maggie's favorite toy is her tennis ball.  She loves to play fetch, catch them in her mouth and just carry it around the house all day with her.  However, she eventually starts to tear off the fabric and gets it down to the rubber and then starts chewing that up into pieces (this is when I intervene and throw it away as to not risk her swallowing those pieces).  My question is, should I let her chew up the ball that much if it is also an item that is used for her to chase outside for exercise?  I don't use it as a training reward, but she will sit, shake in order to get me to throw the ball.  Does anyone else have a doodle that destroys tennis balls?  Will she outgrow this stage? Thanks for any input and advice. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

My Jack doesn't destroy tennis balls, but he is not allowed to have them indoors. He is obsessed with retrieving them, and the excitement level plus the bounce factor (things get broken) is too much for indoor play. Jack has soft stuffed balls for playing fetch indoors, and when we play fetch in the yard,  he knows that the tennis balls must be left at the back door before he comes inside. He also knows that we play fetch on my terms, not his. Otherwise, he would be constantly trying to get me (or anyone else who happens to be here) to throw the ball, which can be very annoying. Very few guests are thrilled to have a slimy ball of any kind dropped in their laps, lol. When a ball-obsessed retriever thinks that there is any chance at all that you might throw a ball for him, he will never stop trying, so best to quash that now.

There is also some evidence that excessive chewing on tennis balls damages their teeth.

The doodles who are tennis ball junkies do not seem to outgrow it. JD is 7 years old now, and he has been obsessed with tennis balls from the day I first met him.

[Jarka, Monty & Auggie]

Monty likes ball as well, but I stopped using tennis balls. First, I read the obsessive chewing damages their teeth. Second, he liked to rip the fuzz off the tennis balls.  We are using the Chuck-it rubber balls. His favorite is the orange one with blue stripe. Not interested so much in the blue or just orange ones. He has a normal size and the small one, and he actually prefers the small one for some reason. These balls are very sturdy no matter how much the dog chews on them.

[Remington & Maggie]

Wow that is great to know that it is bad for their teeth!  Thank you for that bit of information.  I would have never known that if it weren't for this website!  Having the tennis balls as an outdoor toy makes pefect sense Karen.  My house is in dis-array even ten minutes after I clean it!  I will have to check out the Chuck-it's tonight at Petsmart.  Thanks again for the info. 

[Sara & Trix]

I wouldn't let her chew on it.  Trix is very much in love with her blue and orange tennis ball.  She only has access to it when we play fetch or catch (as you can see by some of the pictures on my page).  I don't let her chew on it as I have also heard that it is bad for their teeth.   She will catch and fetch that tennis ball until the cows come home.  It's my lazy way to tire her out when a walk doesn't cut it :)

[BG and Gavin]

In our house the humans control the tennis balls.  They are only brought out for fetch games and not for chewing.  Kong tennis balls claim that their cover is non-abrasive and won't damage teeth.

[T Eaton]

didn't know tennis balls were bad for their teeth. Good to know. I have always taken them away from Hunter the moment he starts to chew them because I didn't want him swallowing that fuzzy stuff even. Hunter is obsessed with tennis balls. Gives me lots of opportunity to use them for training, especially the command "leave it". :) That truly takes some focus and control for him!

 

[Deanna & Desi & Cori]

Sedona is a ball-loving girl!  Her particular favorite is her yellow squeaky ball.  Fortunately, although she will chew on it occasionally, she doesn't obsess with the chewing - perhaps because it is smooth and has no fabric to try to tear off.  

[Jennifer and "Cooper"]

Cooper (19 months old) is also totally obsessed with tennis balls and he also rips all the fuzz off of them and then destroys them.  (It must be a poodle thing because our 7 year old toy poodle does it too.)  We also use the Chuckit balls.  I'm a bit of a neat freak and germ-a-phobe so we have inside Chuckit balls and outside Chuckit balls.  Cooper has actually learned that the outside ones stay outside and the inside ones stay in the house.  The obsession is quite funny though because he will actually sleep with a Chuckit ball in his mouth!

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

Ours have no interest in tennis balls and now I'm glad now that I read that about their teeth!

[Janice Hammond]

The covering on tennis balls is abrasive and causes damage to dogs teeth.Sadie loves balls but we do not allow tennis balls.The chuck it and orka balls work beautifully.

[Lee Seidman]

We only provide "street Hockey Balls" for Billy and Lexi. I have heard that tennis balls are bad for their teeth and we do not let them play with them. We buy the street hockey balls, in bright orange, at the Sports Authority. Tennis balls get full of dirt when they are wet,  the street hockey balls are much cleaner as well. Also,  Billy can and did pop the tennis balls in seconds. The street hockey balls are flexible, yet, he has never been able to puncture one.