Dog took one look at the ball and left the room? Do not force it. Start with the ball off, roll it by hand, then switch it on from across the room.
In this guide
Ball off first, then on from across the room
Dog took one look at the ball and left the room? Switch it off, roll it by hand, then switch it on from across the room. The Cheerble Wicked Ball AIR moves, bounces and rotates by itself (built for dogs 35 lbs and up), so the slow start is what turns it into his favorite toy.
What you need
An open room with the low furniture cleared out. The ball gets stuck under chairs and couches.
A handful of small treats.
A calm window of five minutes, and you in the room.
Five steps to a dog who chases it
Put the ball on the floor, switched off. Let him sniff it. Treat anything that looks like curiosity, and never push his nose at it.
Roll it by hand like any ball. Praise and treat when he follows it.
Switch it on from across the room and let it move while he watches. Treat him for staying calm. Move closer only when he looks relaxed.
When he steps toward it, let him go. Stay put and watch the first sessions.
Keep the first sessions to a few minutes. The ball can rev up an excitable dog, so end while he still wants more, then switch it off and put it away.
The catch: it gets stuck under furniture, so start him in an open room.
Mistakes that make him hate it
Skip these
Forcing him to stay near it. Let him choose.
Leaving him alone with it on day one. Watch the first sessions while he learns it.
Long sessions. Short and happy beats long and wild.
He still ignores it?
Try after a walk, when he is relaxed instead of wound up.
Our pick: Cheerble Wicked Ball AIR. It rolls and bounces on its own the moment it feels motion, so once he has learned it, he gets a game even when you are on a call. The E-TPU shell is bite-resistant, it is IPX7 waterproof, and one USB-C charge gives 1 to 3 hours of play. Screw the shell on tight before each session. The catch: it is built for dogs 35 lbs and up, and it gets stuck under furniture, so give it an open room.
