BALLS

I know that many of us have hounds of one type or another in this group but there are things I see every day that impact on dogs of all ages, and breeds

This group promotes and champions canine wellbeing in all its forms and asks people to consider many aspects of living with dogs that we love

I looked at a really well written post last night it detailed so many negatives around dogs constantly running, braking, jumping and landing in pursuit of balls

When I wrote about this last time a few people commented that "dogs need to have their fun, let them do what they want"

Balls are introduced into dogs lives by humans.

This is a fact

The impact of 20 minutes every day of running after and catching balls has an effect on a dogs body and brain

We can focus on the effect of adrenaline and stress hormones or we can focus on the damage/ micro damage to the body, or how the hind legs of a dog were never meant to absorb the concussion of landing after catching a ball, or the front legs slamming down and braking so that a jump can be executed before jumping for the ball...

But what about the dogs that constantly carry a ball in their mouths, and how a ball is grabbed out of thin air and the pressures needed to catch and hold that ball?

There is a cost to the body of holding, catching and carrying a ball.

Have you ever tried to hold something in your mouth for a prolonged time?

Your jaw will ache for sure and can create tension in the neck and headaches -----we all know this from visits to the dentist

There is a huge impact on the TMJ (the tempero mandibular joint ). It is as easily damaged as any joint and can sustain micro damage just as easily as any other joint in the body. I see this regularly as part of my work as a canine bodyworker

If a ball is caught and carried to one side of the mouth this causes misalignment in the jaw which can affect how a dog eats and can lead to pain and damage which seeps into the neck and the facial nerves

The jaw is a very complex area of the body, which has connections to every other area of the body.

There is no isolation when it comes to bodies-each area affects every other area. The tongue connects to the hyoid, oesophagus, trachea and lungs and the face contains very important nerves which are damaged very easily

The jaw has complex connections to the cervical vertebrae and then all the way through the spine and along the back.

Pain in this area is not funny, neither is direct damage to the jaw or indirect damage caused by a dog continually carrying a ball -when a dog drops a ball it may be more than just stopping for a sniff, it may be that their jaws are aching so much they can no longer carry the ball

If your dog has a ball which they drop on a walk, carry it yourself, please don't insist that your dog returns to pick the bloody thing up

If your dog really is addicted - try hiding balls during walks for them to find, or rolling a ball and introduce finding some treats or other items for them to find

This is a classic picture-the dog is carrying the ball at the side of the mouth-it is likely damage has occurred

Pennie Clayton 2026

#speakingdogs #canineconnections