You have likely seen a post on social media sometime over the previous couple of days referencing why playing fetch is so dangerous for a dog’s mental health, especially in cases of working breeds such as German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois. The post states that these dogs were bred to complete the predatory sequence, which is a series of behaviors observed in wild canids such as wolves when they are hunting. The post insists that because our domestic dogs do not have the opportunity to complete the predatory sequence during their games of fetch, an evolutionary motor pattern which should result in the death of prey and consumption of that prey is triggered but never completed. The author implies that fetch is consequently responsible for the development of anxiety in dogs because they are never able to relax.
As a dog behavioral specialist, I have worked with thousands of dogs – many of whom played fetch with their human family. This number includes working dogs whose handlers used fetch as a supplementary form of physical activity for their high-energy dog. I have also worked with many dogs experiencing high anxiety and maladaptive behaviors who have never played fetch in their lives.
I would consequently like to clear up any misunderstandings being circulated before you decide to put the ball away for good.
The issue is…
Yes, it is likely that in chronically understimulated dogs prone to rapid escalations in arousal levels, especially those which have altered dopamine receptors and processing systems (e.g. dopamine transporter gene mutations, etc.), fetch could potentially exacerbate the development of maladaptive behaviors (such as doggy OCD). Selective breeding has resulted in high energy dogs who respond intensely to dopamine and the associated neurotransmitters, neuromodulators and neuropeptides involved in dopamine release such as endorphins and endogenous opioids. These dogs are naturally at a higher general risk for developing behavioral malfunctions associated with repeated high arousal behaviors because of how their brain is wired. This being said – the dogs prone to developing these maladaptive behavioral responses also typically develop them in the absence of fetch, since they find other ways to fulfill the need for an arousal response such as developing stereotypies (repetitive behaviors like tail chasing or air snapping), fence chasing, or charging at the window and barking at every passing car.
There is always the potential that fetch creates similar physiological issues to those caused in humans by regular social media use – more specifically, rapid dopamine hits with very little effort involved – which can be highly addictive. This, however, can easily be mediated by incorporating simple activities during your fetch game such as asking your dog to sit-stay and then throwing the ball into tall grass so they can search for it, occasionally asking them to perform known obedience prior to throwing the ball, and working on impulse control related exercises using the ball as a reinforcer. By increasing the effort required to attain the toy, you can help mediate the unnatural “dopamine hit” the dog may be experiencing during their daily game of fetch.
The truth is that for many dogs, fetch is the only form of enrichment received. This is especially true in cases of reactivity and aggression concerns where handlers are stressed by walking their dogs or doing social activities with them. These dogs often adore fetch because in many cases they spend the rest of their lives sitting around the house occasionally barking at the delivery driver.
In many cases, dog owners do not have the desire – or perhaps the time – to do more complex enrichment games, partake in daily training activities, provide more involved forms of exercise, or become involved in dog sports. In these cases, the dog included will have nothing if you remove fetch from the picture. This issue is exacerbated in cases where a working line dog is involved. Dogs with working lines will require more enrichment than many standard “pet” dogs will, so if these dogs are living typical American lives – e.g. owner is gone at work for ten hours per day, comes home and plays fetch for ten minutes, and then expects the dog to sleep on the couch all night – they will likely suffer tremendously because of it. Chronic anxiety, destructive behaviors, reactivity and other maladaptive behavioral outcomes are very common in these cases, even when fetch is not part of the dog’s life.
Finally, domestic dogs were bred to exhibit behaviors up to specific points within the predatory sequence (e.g. Border Collies stalk and stare, other herding dogs chase, Retrievers retrieve but do not consume) and most domestic dogs never have the opportunity to complete the predatory sequence. When they do, it’s considered a Level 6 bite and they are often immediately euthanized. Historically, domestic dogs who kill animals or humans are not bred, because they are considered dangerous. Selective breeding has resulted in an animal who is not the same as its wild counterparts, and can live a highly fulfilled life without ever having to kill and consume prey.
In my opinion, fetch is one of the closest things that dogs have to completing the predatory sequence. They get to stare, may stalk or freeze, chase, bite and carry. Many dogs even chew or shake the toy once it has been retrieved.
This being said: laser lights, playing flirt pole with no bite at the end of the chase, and fence chasing all have a likelihood of creating extreme frustration issues especially in dogs with an innately high prey drive. These activities are always very concerning for me because they oftentimes result in severe behavioral malfunction.
Should I be concerned about my dog playing fetch?
Just as with many things in life, there are potential risks to playing fetch, some of which include:
- Potential elbow injuries caused by repeated skidding to grab the toy.
- Overuse injuries in dogs who are physically tired but won’t stop playing.
- Injuries caused in dogs who have been sleeping all day and then are expected to repeatedly sprint with no warm-up.
- Wear and tear on teeth caused by repeated holding of an abrasive substance (this is particularly true when traditional sport tennis balls are used, and is not as much of a concern when the non-abrasive dog specific balls are used).
The final concern that I have is indicative of a more holistic issue…
Many dogs do not live well-rounded, colorfully enriched lives. Dogs are their own species with biological requirements who were bred over generations to fulfill very specific purposes. Many dogs in developed civilizations do not experience the fulfilment necessary to be mentally and physically healthy. This low quality of life likely plays a significant role in the level of behavioral concerns which so many people are observing in their dogs.
Behavior does not occur in a vacuum, and the increase in behavioral issues we are seeing in dogs is significantly more complex than “people playing fetch.” This being said, villainizing a single source is easier for us to wrap our heads around than analyzing the complexities involved in dog behavior.
The truth is that many dogs – even working breeds – who play fetch live happy, fulfilled lives without presenting maladaptive behavioral responses. These are also typically the dogs which have involved human companions who take them on off-lead hikes, regularly incorporate olfactory based activities into their dog’s schedule (such as detection, nose work or find-it games), provide sources of cognitive enrichment, and who allow the dog to partake in biologically appropriate activities such as working roles or dog sports.
So, before you make the decision to remove the tennis balls from your home… think about your dog’s overall quality of life. There are so many things that we can easily incorporate to improve our dog’s overall wellbeing, a topic which is imperative to prioritize. Fetch can continue to be a healthy outlet for your dog, but it should be a small part of a bigger picture.