My dog keeps eating the tennis balls!?

Question

How can I keep a tennis ball for more than an hour?! She chews them to bits, i guess she thinks it's a bone.

Um yes I'm aware they are not chew toys. Hence the question.

Answer 1

Bits won't hurt her (some swallow them whole which is not so good). The ball cover can grind teeth down, however so most vets don't even recommend them as throw/fetch toys. Mine would defur the balls if I left them within reach. Keeping them out of reach is the only realistic way of keeing him from destroying the balls. Oh, and don't walk him off leash by a tennis court. Been there. The person hitting the winning shot will be upset when he snags it from the sky (the other will be happy, however). A rubber ball may work better for your dog - they last practically forever.

Answer 2

My golden does the same thing. The best thing you can do is to keep the tennis ball for you and your dog to play with and find suitable toys for the dog to chew. The dogs like the fuzz on the tennis balls, that is why they tear them apart.

greathoneybear

Answer 3

If it is a large or medium breed dog, he should be okay. But if it a small breed you may have some trouble. I would just keep an eye on him and if he starts acting lethargic, vomits, refuses to eat, or has diarrhea I would call the vet. He shouldn't suffer any long term affects as long as it passes okay and their digestive system is pretty simple (especially compared to other types of animals) and very similar to ours. By the way, next time you catch him eating something that he shouldn't give him about 1/4 - 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide. It will make him vomit what he ate back up, so then you at least don't have to worry.

Answer 4

I too have a dog that "eats" tennis balls. It took me a long time, but I found a solid rubber ball that she has had about 2 years and it is still in pretty good shape.
My dog also "eats: basketballs and footballs.
Keep looking - I usually squeeze the ball in my hand and then I figure if my dog will "eat" it or not.

Answer 5

Tennis balls aren't chew toys.

Take the ball away and give her a chew toy. Keep them out of her reach unless you're playing fetch.

Kong makes balls too. They are almost indistructable.

Answer 6

the doggie tennis balls don't last, don't let your dog chew them. Pieces of them can get lodged in the tummy and intestines and you will have to pay lots of money to get them surgically removed.

If you haven't already, try the tennis balls tennis players use. Get the good ones, they hold together much better.

If your dogs chews THEM up, don't give her tennis balls. Try anything else.

Answer 7

Don't give her tennis balls to play with? Or you could try teaching her to play catch with you. And then when you are done playing take the ball away.

Answer 8

Tennis balls are fetch toys not chew toys. Get her a proper chew toy and it will last longer (and keep the tennis balls where she can't get them)

Answer 9

If you let her play with it, you can't. She's a shredder. Get a tougher kind of ball; they sell indestructible balls at the pet store. My dog likes golf balls. He does eventually shred them too, but it takes more than an hour.

Answer 10

Keep it where he/she can get to it! And go to the pet store and get her a rawhide bone or maybe a chew toy will do the trick! go to the stores where they allow the dogs in and she can pick out her own kind of bone or chew toy.I would suggest a bone tho they wont get torn up so easily as a chew toy would!