Ballaholism

[wireweiners]

Hi, I'm Buddy and I'm a ballaholic. I haved decided to come forward and admit my problem in hopes of forming a Ballaholics Anonymous 12 step group to help myself and others combat this terrible addiction.
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It all started innocently enough when as a young pup I was introduced to the ball. I thought it was great fun to chase the ball and bring it back to be thrown again. Soon I was a social ball player. You know, just a few retrieves when my hoomans got home from work to help me relax. I could control it and quit any time or so I thought. Pretty soon it became an obsession. I had to have the ball. If my hoomans put it up I would sit and whine and stare at it until they got it down again. When one hooman tired of throwing it, I would go to the next hooman. Any new hoomans coming to my home were fresh ball throwing meat. I was a full fledged ballaholic.

I would like to hear from others with this affliction. Together we can work to overcome ballaholism and return to normal life.

[Roxane]

Hi, my name is Greta and I am a ballaholic.
Since this is my first meeting, that is all I am going to say.
Thank you.http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/emb.gif

[Oscar's Mom]

Hi...my name is Oscar...and I am a ballaholic. The tennis ball is my favorite. When mom and dad wont throw it for me anymore, I get it stuck under things so they have to come over.

[Owen's Mom]

Hello, My name is Owen, and I too am a Ballaholic. In fact, my mother won't let me have one inside the house anymore, as I can't help but to throw it up in the air, and knock things over with it.

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[Mickamack]

My name is Mickey and I am a fellow ballaholic! I like all kinds of balls, from big ones to small ones...squeaky and non-squeaky. I would like to play 24 hours a day, only taking breaks to eat, but Mommy and Daddy don't share my obsession. Actually, I'm not convinced that I have the problem...I think it is THEY who have the problem. They just don't understand how much it adds to one's life!

I like to play solo. I like them to throw it, so I can run after it. I like to shove it under furniture and then challenge myself to get it. I like to sleep with it right next to my head. I like to take it in with me when I get a bath. I even eat with a ball in my food dish. I can't take any chances of someone stealing my beloved toy.

You don't think I have a problem do you???

[Marci]

My name is Lucy and I am a ballaholic too. My favorite ball is the whiffle ball 'cuz I can really sink my teeth in it...the holes, that is! I only get this one outside. The squeaky one I get everywhere. I wish we could keep the mommies and daddies home to throw them ALL DAY, EVERY DAY... Guess I'll have to break the habit cold turkey... my hoomans go to work all day.

Oh well, they say bad things are sometimes OK in moderation... I guess evenings and weekends are moderation.(Whatever that is!!)

[omar_my_friend]

Hi my name is Omar, I am ashamed to say I am a ballaholic.

You see it all started when I was adobted by my hooman daddy. I was a little guy and the first toy I was given was a blue rubber ball with a bell in it. Since I started playing with the ball right away I was given the name Omar. Yes I was named after Omar Vizquel of the Cleveland Indians. It is destiny that I am to live and breath about my ball with a name like Omar Vizquel.

I have gotten in so much trouble with my ball. When my daddy doesn't want to play throw the ball, I start finding places to put my ball so that my daddy will have to come and get it for me. Some of my favorite places to put the ball is:

10. In the closet
09. Under the dresser ( it is so funny watching daddy get on his hands and knees to get the ball from under the dresser)
08. The trash can in the bathroom.
07. In the dryer when daddy is emptying or putting clean close into it.
06. Under the couch
05. In the bathtub when daddy is taking a shower.
04. In the food dish.
03. In the water dish.
02. In bed with daddy and me.
01. And my all time favorite place is in the toilet. You should see the look on daddy's face when he forgets to put the seat down.http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/bad-boy.gif

Well I got to run so daddy will playa game of fetch with me

Take care you fellow ballaholics

Omar

[Augie Dog]

My name is Augie, and I am a ballaholic.

At first first it started with those yellow fuzzy balls, then my daddy have me an odd shaped ball, something called a football. Funny, it did not smell like fritos!<IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm42.gif" border=0>

I seen big footballs, almost as big as me. Then there is mine, hard and chewy on the outside, great to sink my teeth into.

Daddy gets down eye to eye with me and yells "HUT ONE, HUT TWO, HUT, HUT, HUT!" and runs at me to get the ball, but I hold on and run! Then he yells "TOUCHDOWN". He did not touch me, and I don't do "down" unless there is a treat involed. But, who needs a treat, I have the ball!

I could live without it, I can quit anytime I want. I just don't want too.

[isobelsmom]

My name is Isobel and I am a Ballaholic. And I am soooo ashamed!!http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/crying.gif The pain and the humiliation involved when you have to find ways to sneak a ball and act like you're playing with something else to put those people off the scent. When a round head of red cabbage will do when you cannot find your wiggle-giggle ball http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/crying.gif Sometimes--sniff--sniff---I wish that I had never interacted with that first jingle ball that started all this hiding and heartbreak. Mom was sooooo excited when I brought it back the first time she kept making me play more and more. I shoulda told her to stop; but, she's my mom. How could I hurt my mom's feelings over something as silly as a jingle ball?

Now I wish that I had. If it even looks like it may partially kinda resemble a ball-- watch out!!!!! I got it!!!! No! Quincy! http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/angry.gif I said that's mine. Mine! Do you understand that? Mine! Let go of it! Mom! Quincy has my ball! Told you it was mine, Quincy ! hehehehehheheheehhe<IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm2.gif" border=0>

Hey, I'm just fine. And stop lookin' at my ball, ok? It's mine!

Isobel

[Wotan, Shakti & Gaudi Inc]

<FONT COLOR="Yellow">My name is Wotan and I am PROUD to say I am a ballaholic! I see nothing wrong with it. It's better than playing with rocks, which is all I got from my first human "owners". These people found these great high bouncing, muti-sided, hard yet chewy balls in a toy store once and...that was IT!http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/love.gif I have let my humans know that I only really like the yellow or orange colored ones. Even after major surgery...well I just HAD to have it<IMG SRC="http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/Oceandoxie/yellow_1.jpg" border=0>There is nothing wrong with this! It is normal. Now that I am almost 10 I don't play all day with my ball like I used to, but it is still #1 with me.</FONT c>


<FONT COLOR="#00FFFF" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by Wotan, Shakti & Gaudi Inc on September 28, 2000 at 10:27 PM</font>

[Little Freddie]

My name is Freddie, and I'm a Ballaholic! My absolute favorite is a "porcupine ball" from Petco. It's soft and I love to squeeeeeeze it - this goes on and on! The texture of the "porcupines" feels good on my gummies.http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/biggrin.gif I love to dunk my ball into my water & food bowls, and I LOVE to irritate my Mommy by getting it stuck somewhere where I can't get it! I bark my little head off til Mommy gets it for me! Then we start this ritual all over again. Boy, life is a "BALL of cherries"!<IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm26.gif" border=0>

[wireweiners]

Welcome to all fellow ballaholics. Wotan, Wotan, Wotan, the first step to overcoming an addiction is to admit you have a problem. Obviously you need to work on this, I, Buddy, will personally be your sponsor and support you while you kick your habit.

Fellow ballaholics, I have noticed a pattern here. It is the HOOMANS that start us down the path of addiction by giving us that first ball while we are impressionable puppies. They laugh and call us cute when we begin to play and retrieve the ball. Then when we are hooked, they complain when we demand they throw the ball or that they come get it out when it gets stuck under the furniture. This is a HOOMAN plot to distract us from our mission of world domination. We need a strong DWD agent to go undercovers to investigate this Hooman link to ballaholism. Any volunteers? http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/bounce.gif

[isobelsmom]

I believe you are correct that it is the HOOMANS who lead us down this path of obsessive-compulsive behavior in order to make us pay less attention to our surroundings and of course their nefarious plots. I must say I have met the ultimate balloholic and his name is Ripple. Fellow dachsie, this boy has it baaaad!<IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm31.gif" border=0> He drools and shakes when he cannot have a ball stuffed in his face. When his ball gets stuck he will work himself into the most amazing tizzy. Is there help and/or hope for this poor deranged and addicted weiner?

I, at least, can somewhat control my urges. Ripple is a shuddering fool to anything that rolls . . . . any help with this?

isobel

[Dolly's Mom]

Er, um...Excuse me! Dis is Dolly Doglet. I am NOT a ballaholic, but my mommy wishes I was one! My sissy Maddie don't like doze ballies eader. Mommy tries, she really does, to get us interested in chasing those silly things, but to no avail. Me and my sissy think balls are for boys and tomboys. We are GIRLS!!! Now clothes???? We love em! Can't wait to see the newest fashions at JC Doxies and Doxie Dress for Less. Your stories sure amuse our mommy, but she's gettin' idears about those dumb balls again....sheeeesh! Give it up already!

Wiggles and Wags,
Dolly

<FONT COLOR="#00FFFF" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by Dolly's Mom on September 28, 2000 at 10:38 PM</font>

[Wotan, Shakti & Gaudi Inc]

Originally posted by wireweiners:
Wotan, Wotan, Wotan, the first step to overcoming an addiction is to admit you have a problem. Obviously you need to work on this, I, Buddy, will personally be your sponsor and support you while you kick your habit.

<FONT COLOR="Yellow">Hello Buddy. Although I so appreciate your nice welcome to this group, I really don't think I have a problem. I just love my multi-sided balls! Just because at times I only have eyes for them<IMG SRC="http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/Oceandoxie/yellow_1.jpg" border=0>...well that doesn't mean it's a <u>problem</u> A wiener can just being having fun! And what fun it is...chasing it all over the house when the humans throw it (I adore the way it bounces in any direction), digging holes in the yard and burying it so I can dig it up, hiding it under my dog blankets so I can "find" it, putting it under the dishwasher so I can struggle to reach it with my little paw. It's just a wonderful occupation! Oh and yes, there is also the marvelous times when my human's put some of my balls in a box and tape it shut...I tear that mother apart, but I get them! It has helped condition me for chasing things, so I contribute the exercises with it for my amazing prowess in destroying rats and other horrid rodents. Balls are not a problem...they are a reason for living!</FONT c>

[Jennifer]

Betty here and I am so glad that I read about the homan plot to make us ballaholics before it was too late. I had never played with a ball before I got to my new home. So my homom is trying to teach me to play with a ball. She's now trying to get me to fetch a sqeaky toy since I like this and last night she brought the ball out. she gets so happy when I bring it back, so it's going to be hard to disappoint her. But no way, no how, I'm not going let her make me a balloholic. She's even resorted to giving me yummy grapes when I bring the squeaky toy back. So, resisting this is not going to be easy.

Any tips on how to resist this?

[wireweiners]

<FONT COLOR="Orange">Are You A Ballaholic???</FONT c>


Take this quiz. If you answer yes to 6 or more of these question, you could be a ballaholic.

1. Do you have more than 1 ball hidden in different places in your house?
2. Do you go through more than 1 ball a month?
3. Have your hoomans contemplated buying a pitching machine to throw the ball for you?
4. Does you hooman have tennis elbow from throwing the ball for you?
5. Do you whine, cry and bark when your ball is put away or you can't find it?
6. Do you delight in bringing your ball to your hooman when he/she is in the bathtub or on the potty because they have to throw it to get some peace?
7. Does every hooman that enters your home have to throw the ball for you?
8. Would you rather play with your ball than EAT?
9. Have you ever dropped a well slimed ball into your hooman's face when he/she is napping?
10. Have you ever destroyed/damaged a piece of furniture trying to get your ball?

If you are a ballaholic, please contact the Buddy Mitchell Clinic for Hopeless Ball Addicts. We can help.