Collie......Stick & Ball obsessed when on walks.....

[armywag]

Hi all

When we go for a walk my collie is stick / ball obsessed.... do you have the same problem?

The first thing he does when he gets out of the car is go and find a stick and puts it down in front of you all the way! If I ignore it he just picks it up runs in front and drops it in front of me again! He is persistent!

I don’t like him having sticks as he managed to stab himself in the back of the throat once which caused a lot of pain....and a big vet bill! So I never throw them for him.

He works sheep and is very good but I just can’t get him to go on a walk and just... walk!!!

Any ideas how to stop this?

Thanks!

 

[nicnag]

The ginger one in my sig is like that, has to constantly have a stone, stick, ball , fence post, sheeps leg......... I could go on! It's not something I taught him but if he isn't working (he is a working sheepdog too) then it's like his brain needs to be doing 'something/anything'!
The only way I have found to get around it is to have other dogs out with us which gives him something to distract him, rarely works for long though.

 

[rema]

My Colie is the same..But it is probably more my fault because we never go out without a frizbee,ball,Kong on a rope and the few times i have forgotten to take a toy he will find something/anything to play with which does include very dried cow pats,,i will draw the line at throwing cow sh*t.

Nicnag my dog will ignore everything including other dogs stood right next to him if he is focused on his toys or a stick.

 

[Cop-Pop]

I've never bought a ball for my dog as long as we've had him yet somehow we have 12 at home, 8 at my parents house and regularly supply the shelter with some. He isn't happy unless he unearths a ball on his walk

 

[IWTO]

Mine is the same but i got into the habit of mixing the ball throwing walks with just walks.
He now doesnt expect it but is pleased when it happens and any sticks/stones that are dropped are ignored or if he persists i tell him its 'finished' and he leaves it alone.

 

[armywag]

Not the only one then! We have two elderly king Charles too but they don’t play with him! Maybe he needs a younger brother or sister!?

Do any of your dogs get obsessed with other dogs? Seamus (my collie) used to be very bad at this, if he saw another dog he would just circle it and run after it. If the other dog was playing with a ball Seamus wouldn’t be interested in the ball but just following the dog! He was a nightmare I couldn’t get him away or catch him..... he is growing out of this now he has started working sheep but I am still conscious to get his attention on me when we are out!

Also....... a few months ago he saw his first tennis match at the park..................night mare! He ran around and around and around the cage of the tennis courts for about half an hour obsessed!
Could I catch him or get his attention....NO! I tried being nice.....raising my voice, treats, another ball, running away from him...... nothing worked! In the end he managed to open the cage door and get in on the action of the match! How embarrassing!

In the end I had to be the sheep dog and round him into the corner of the cage to catch him!

Just a few more little obsessions to add!

He is a good boy really especially now he is working sheep!

 

[Oneofthepack]

Mine is a collie cross but exactly the same and it drove me nuts!!! Being intelligent they can learn not to do it though. I have taught Dillon that he only has his ball on the return journey in the field we cut through to the main walk. I taught him by saying NO very firmly and putting him back on the lead if he persisted, then I would get his ball out when I was ready and say 'good boy' all excitedly. He learned after a few walks and doesn't bother me now if I say NO.

If yours understands that bringing you sticks means he goes back on the lead he'll soon get it. And I'd take a ball and throwing thing, it means he gets to run further and you have to throw it less