Fetch has long been a favourite game for dog owners, offering an easy way to burn energy. However, while fetch might seem like harmless fun, it can have unexpected effects on your dog’s physical and mental health, especially when played repetitively. From over-arousal to joint strain, fetch isn't always the best option for balanced exercise.
Let’s explore why fetch can sometimes do more harm than good—and discover 10 engaging and healthier alternatives to keep your dog happy and fulfilled.
The Psychological Highs and Lows of Fetch
Fetch engages the excitement of the chase, a behaviour deeply rooted in your dog’s natural predatory sequence. This sequence—searching, stalking, chasing, capturing, and dissecting prey—triggers the release of dopamine, the brain’s feel-good chemical that drives focus and pleasure during the pursuit.
During fetch, your dog experiences a surge of dopamine, creating a psychological "high" as they fixate on the thrill of the chase. However, unlike a natural hunt where the sequence concludes with capturing, chewing, and consuming prey—activities that release calming endorphins—fetch often ends abruptly.
Without the resolution provided by completing the predatory sequence, your dog may remain in a heightened state of arousal, making it harder for them to relax and settle after play.
Structuring games that incorporate more elements of the predatory sequence can provide a healthier balance between excitement and relaxation, satisfying your dog’s natural instincts while promoting calmness.
Instead, the cycle of throwing, chasing, and returning keeps your dog in a constant state of arousal.
Over time, this can lead to:
Addictive Behaviours: Your dog becomes fixated on the act of chasing, making it difficult for them to disengage.
Difficulty Settling: Without the natural resolution of the chase, your dog may struggle to calm down after play.
Behavioural Issues: Chronic over-arousal can lead to frustration, hyperactivity, and difficulty focusing on commands.
To keep your dog mentally and physically balanced, it's important to incorporate games that engage their natural instincts while promoting calmness and resolution.
The Physical Risks of Fetch
While fetch can be an enjoyable activity, repetitive games can also pose physical risks:
Joint Strain: The sudden starts, stops, and sharp turns required during fetch can strain joints, ligaments, and muscles, particularly in growing puppies, senior dogs, or breeds prone to hip or elbow issues.
Pain: Adrenaline from the chase can mask underlying pain, leading dogs to overexert themselves without realising their physical limits.
Overheating: High-intensity activities in warm weather can quickly lead to overheating, especially in brachycephalic breeds (like Bulldogs or Pugs).
Injury from Unsafe Toys: Throwing sticks can cause splinters, puncture wounds, or internal injuries if ingested. Always use durable, dog-safe toys that are appropriately sized to avoid choking hazards.
Why Channeling Your Dog’s Natural Instincts Matters
Dogs have a natural drive rooted in their predatory instincts, but modern life often limits their ability to engage in these behaviours. By incorporating activities that mimic elements of the predatory sequence—such as searching, stalking, chasing, grabbing, and dissecting—you can provide an outlet for these instincts in a safe and controlled way.
This not only fulfils their mental and physical needs but also helps prevent unwanted behaviours, like chasing wildlife or obsessively fixating on toys.
Structured activities like scentwork, controlled chasing, and skilled retrieves encourage calm, focused behaviours while keeping your dog engaged and satisfied.
Let’s explore how these principles can be applied to ball games that go far beyond traditional fetch.
10 Healthy and Engaging Ball Games
Here are 10 alternatives to fetch that provide safe, enriching play while reducing the risks of over-arousal and physical strain:
1. Scentwork: The Hidden Ball Game
Hide the ball in bushes, tall grass, or around your home, and encourage your dog to use their nose to search for it. This activity taps into their natural scenting instincts, offering valuable mental stimulation and promoting calm focus.
When your dog is engaged in this "hunting" behaviour, their body releases hormones like adrenaline and dopamine, activating their primal brain while temporarily disengaging the thinking part of their brain. This is why your dog might hold onto the toy longer after finding it or parade around proudly—it’s a natural response to the thrill of the hunt.
It can take time for these hormones to subside, so allowing your dog to enjoy their "prize" by carrying or showing off their toy is perfectly fine.
This game isn’t about a formal retrieve; it’s about providing your dog with an enriching, fun experience that satisfies their instincts and encourages exploration.
2. Backtracking: Finding a Dropped Ball
While on a walk, subtly drop a ball behind you without your dog noticing. After walking a short distance, ask your dog to turn around and search for it. This activity sharpens their problem-solving skills and transforms an ordinary walk into an exciting and interactive adventure.
This game is ideal for dogs who love to chase, grab, and possess. By sending your dog along the path to follow your track and locate the “lost” toy, you’re encouraging them to engage with their natural instincts in a fun and fulfilling way.
Once they find their prize, there’s no need to ask them to retrieve or drop it—let them enjoy their find however they choose, whether it’s parading it around or taking a moment to chew and savour it.
If you’re using a treat-dispensing toy like a Lotus Ball, you can approach your dog and open it to let them enjoy the treats inside, completing the experience. This relaxed approach ensures your dog gets the full satisfaction of the game while reinforcing their enjoyment of using their instincts.
3. Impulse Control Games
Before sending your dog to retrieve the ball, ask them to perform a series of behaviours, such as sit, stay, lie down, or even more advanced cues like spin or paw. By incorporating these commands into play, you’re teaching your dog to pause, think, and respond to you, even when they’re in a high-arousal state.
This practice not only helps improve their impulse control and focus but also strengthens their ability to engage with you under excitement or distraction. Over time, this approach can make your dog more attentive and responsive in a variety of situations, both during play and in everyday life.
4. Named Retrieves
Teach your dog to retrieve specific items by name, such as “ball,” “rope toy,” or “teddy.” This activity provides a fun and enriching challenge that improves your dog’s problem-solving and cognitive skills. By asking them to differentiate between items, you’re also teaching them to listen carefully and think critically before acting.
This kind of training not only makes playtime more interactive and mentally stimulating but also strengthens your bond as your dog learns to focus on your cues.
As they master retrieving named items, you can build on this foundation to teach more complex and practical tasks, such as emptying the washing machine, closing doors, or even finding your lost keys.
5. Skilled Retrieves
Take fetch to the next level by teaching your dog to place the ball into a designated container, such as a box, basket, or even a small goal. This skill adds a layer of complexity to the game, transforming it from a simple chase-and-return exercise into an engaging problem-solving challenge.
Often taught through free shaping—where your dog learns by trial and error with positive reinforcement—this activity encourages your dog to think independently, experiment with new actions, and develop a greater sense of resilience to stress when faced with a challenge.
By shaping this behaviour, your dog learns to offer new behaviours rather than relying solely on familiar actions, which enhances their cognitive flexibility and adaptability. As they progress, you can increase the difficulty by asking them to retrieve the ball from different locations or use a smaller, more precise target area. In addition to being mentally stimulating, this exercise can significantly enhance your dog's self-confidence.
6. The Toy on the Ground Game
Place the ball on the ground and use it as a controlled distraction while practicing obedience exercises with your dog. Ask them to perform cues like sit, heel, or down, progressively increasing the duration of each behaviour. The ball’s presence adds an exciting challenge, requiring your dog to manage their impulse to grab it and concentrate on your cues instead.
At the end of the exercise, reward their focus by allowing them to retrieve the ball as their reward. This approach not only enhances impulse control and engagement but also enables you to phase out the need for having treats visibly on hand.
7. Hidden treats
Use a treat-dispensing ball, like a Lotus Ball, and hide it for your dog to find. This game activates their natural scenting and hunting instincts while engaging more of the predatory sequence, including searching, stalking, and capturing.
The added reward of uncovering treats inside mimics the sense of accomplishment a dog would experience after a successful hunt, offering both mental and physical enrichment.
To take it a step further, allow your dog to enjoy their meal or treats directly from the ball once they’ve found it. This satisfies the final part of the predatory sequence—consuming—which triggers the release of endorphins, helping your dog feel calm and relaxed. By completing the full sequence, this activity provides a more balanced and fulfilling experience, leaving your dog mentally satisfied and ready to settle.
8. Paper shredding
This activity is perfect for dogs who love to grab, shred, and dissect!
To play, gather some paper bags, wrapping paper, or toilet roll holders, and hide a few treats inside. Incorporate searching or backtracking games, using the paper treat bag as the ultimate prize. Once your dog finds it, encourage them to rip and tear the paper to access the treats.
This game taps into your dog’s natural instincts to dissect and explore, providing both mental stimulation and physical enrichment. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to let them burn energy in a fun and rewarding way! Always supervise to ensure they don’t swallow any large pieces of paper.
9. Parkour Ball Play
Incorporate parkour elements into your ball games to add a fun and dynamic challenge that’s both mentally and physically enriching for your dog. Encourage them to navigate obstacles such as logs, benches, rocks, or low walls before retrieving the ball, or to 'go round' a tree or post before retrieving a ball behind you.
By combining parkour with ball games, you’re tapping into your dog’s natural curiosity and energy while encouraging focus and problem-solving.
Plus, it’s a great workout that engages multiple muscle groups, keeping them healthy and fit. Whether it’s balancing on a log, jumping onto a bench, or ducking under a branch, this creative approach to play will leave your dog mentally satisfied and physically tired in the best possible way.
10. Retrieval with Rest Breaks
If you enjoy fetch, you can make the game more enriching and beneficial for your dog by incorporating structured breaks between throws. Instead of throwing the ball repeatedly in quick succession, pause after each throw and ask your dog to perform a calm behaviour such as a settle, or to work through well known obedience cues or tricks. This introduces an element of control and focus, helping your dog regulate their excitement and avoid becoming overstimulated.
These structured breaks allow your dog to practice transitioning between high-energy activity (chasing the ball) and calmer states (waiting for the next throw). This concept teaches your dog to better manage their arousal levels, improving their ability to focus and engage even when they’re excited.
By modifying fetch in this way, you’re teaching your dog valuable skills like impulse control, patience, and the ability to switch between excitement and relaxation on cue.
This can carry over into other aspects of their behaviour, helping them stay calmer in a variety of situations, such as greeting visitors or encountering distractions on walks.
Balancing Activity and Relaxation
Dogs need more than just physical exercise—they also require mental enrichment and plenty of rest. On average, dogs need 18 hours of active rest per day, which includes sleeping and calm, structured activities. Overloading your dog with high-energy games like fetch can lead to hyperactivity and difficulty settling, so balance is key.
To create a well-rounded routine:
Incorporate Enrichment: Use puzzle toys, snuffle mats, or safe chew toys to engage your dog’s mind.
Teach Relaxation: Encourage your dog to settle in a quiet space after play to help them unwind.
Focus on Bonding: Make playtime about building your connection with your dog rather than just burning energy.
Sniffy walks: introduce sniffy walks where you encourage sniffing and exploration
Final Thoughts
Fetch can be fun, but its repetitive nature can lead to over-arousal, physical strain, and behavioural challenges. By exploring these 10 alternative ball games, you can create a safer, more balanced play routine that taps into your dog’s natural instincts and encourages calm, healthy engagement.
So grab a ball and try something new today—your dog will love the variety, and you’ll love the stronger bond it creates!
Looking to add variety and enrichment to your dog’s playtime?
Our Online Academy is the perfect resource! With step-by-step video tutorials, you’ll learn how to teach engaging ball games, scentwork activities, parkour and fun tricks that tap into your dog’s natural instincts while keeping their mind sharp. We also cover essential impulse control exercises to help your dog manage excitement and stay focused, even in high-energy situations.
Whether you’re looking to strengthen your bond, build confidence, or simply have more fun together, the Online Academy has everything you need to create exciting, balanced, and rewarding training sessions from the comfort of your home!
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