By With the growing obsession of dogs with tennis balls, owners are finding it difficult to comprehend why do dogs love tennis balls so much. In research, it was found that tennis balls are built from a material that provides dogs with sensory gratification when they start chewing it. Also, they satisfy their instincts to hunt down prey, which is why they become obsessed with it. However, this is not the case with every dog; some are indifferent to it.
This growing obsession raises a wide array of questions, such as: Is it healthy? What can be its negative consequences? What precautions should be taken? Are there any alternatives? In this blog, we will answer why do dogs love tennis balls, what precautions to exercise, etc, and other queries.
Reasons For Why Do Dogs Love Tennis Balls
As we have mentioned earlier, dogs are fond of playing with tennis balls and are becoming obsessed with them. Now, let’s explore the reasons behind the obsession:
Attractive Bright Colours
One reason why do dogs love Tennis balls is because they are made of bright colours, particularly a yellow-green hue. This makes the ball easily visible to dogs during their play sessions, making it an enthralling experience.
Also, read about the 10 best table tennis players of all time.
Playfulness
If you have ever played with tennis balls, you might have noticed their bouncy nature, which gives them unpredictable movements. These unpredictable movements provide your dog with an amusing experience that keeps them engaged and entertained.
Felt Material and Chewing Habits
Why do dogs love tennis balls so much? Another reason why do dogs love tennis balls is the material used in making a tennis ball. The tennis ball is made of felt material, which complements the chewing habits of dogs. This material gives the dog a pleasant experience and keeps their gums and teeth clean.
Interactive Play
Fetching serves as an excellent exercise for your dog. Playing fetch with your dog enables you to strengthen the bond between you and your dog. It also strengthens their muscles and stimulates their mind.
Satisfying Play Drive
Dogs are creatures that are born with animal instinct to hunt down their prey, which gives them a satisfying experience. A similar kind of experience is generated when playing with a tennis ball. When they catch the ball, they indulge in the experience of chasing and catching, which simulates the sensation of catching prey. This is one of the major reasons why do dogs love tennis balls.
Do They Have Negative Consequences?
Above, we have covered the reasons why do dogs love tennis balls. Here, we are going to discuss its negative consequences. Well, playing with a tennis ball may sound like a fun and exciting opportunity. However, there is also a hidden cost that needs to be considered before indulging in this activity:
Dangerous Material
Yes, we know we said that the material used for making a tennis ball makes it good for chewing and gives dogs a soothing experience, but we never said it was healthy. The bright yellow color of the tennis ball comes from the chemicals applied to it. When dogs catch the ball, these chemicals get absorbed into their bodies through mucus, which can negatively impact their health if played frequently.
Danger Of Choking
One of the reasons we mentioned why dogs love tennis balls was that they love chewing on the ball. Now, chewing on the ball can cause double damage—it can lead to constipation if the pieces of the ball reach the intestinal region, and if a strong dog bites the ball too flat and slides backward into the windpipe, it may become a life-threatening situation.
Precautions
Playing with a tennis ball with your dog can have life-threatening consequences, but this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be playing with your dog with a ball. There are reasons why do dogs love tennis balls so completely ruling out tennis balls is not a feasible option. However, by exercising these precautions, we can let them have fun and can also safeguard them.
Purchase Dog-Specific Tennis Balls
As dogs play with more tennis balls, companies become responsible for manufacturing. Some companies even started their separate production of tennis balls for dogs which are made keeping in mind the longevity and overall well-being of the dog.
Supervise The Playtime
Overdoing anything can be harmful. You must supervise your dog’s playtime and ensure it does not start aggressively biting the ball. If your dog starts biting the ball aggressively, then remove the ball to prevent choking and other health hazards.
Replace Damaged Tennis Balls
It doesn’t matter what ball you use; there will always be the risk of swallowing it. Make sure that you regularly inspect the ball for any wear or tear. If you find any crack or a missing part, quickly replace the ball.
What Are the Alternative Toys?
So far we have discussed why do dogs love tennis balls, the negative consequences, etc. Now let’s discuss the potential alternatives of the toy. There are many other balls you can try to play with your dog. Such as illumination balls that you can use to play with your dog in the dark, and then floating balls that you can use to play with your dog in the pool. There are also balls that create a sound when thrown, which appeals to the dogs. There are many such toys in the market that you can explore to improve your dog’s playing experience. However, before buying any toy for your dog, it is important to prioritize their well-being.
