This behavior is getting kind of annoying already

[The empressof all]

Lilly, my 2 year old Aussie Terrier is Ball obsessed. We keep a half dozen tennis balls in a basket for her to amuse herself with. She's taken to carrying the balls one by one to our bedroom and slips them under an antique chest. When the balls are out of reach she'll bark and attack the furniture attempting to retrieve them until I bat them back out for her with a broom or she falls in a heap from exhaustion. It would be kinda funny if it wasn't so sad to see her so frustrated.

I've tried removing the balls altogether but she'll sit and look at the closet where she thinks I've hidden them.

We play fetch with her at least once a day. She's faster now then my retriever/Dalmatian mix. She'll fetch ball for an hour if we let her.

I know she thinks it's her job to collect and herd the balls but any advice on how to stop her from penning them under my furniture other than keeping her out of that room altogether (which would be difficult).

[Samurai_Writer]

1. Why not just block the opening under the chest?

That way, she can't put them under there.

[The empressof all]

2. You know I've sort of tried it already.

It's an antique piece of furniture so I need to be careful with it. Unfortunately the only place it works in my very overcrowded house is in an area that we frequently walk by and is in a passage way, so I can't barricade it too much. I've tried shoving laundry baskets against it but Lilly (who is super strong for her size) will shove even full laundry baskets aside or knock them over. There is about a 4 inch rise under the piece and I don't want to nail anything to it to create a barrier. Lilly can slip under it up to her shoulder area. I worry sometimes she'll get stuck when I see her little butt sticking out from underneath it.

[Lisa0825]

3. What about sticking something under it

instead of in front of it? Maybe some books or something?

[The empressof all]

4. Good Idea

Sometimes the simplest solutions are hiding there in plain sight. Thanks!

[Betsy Ross]

5. Our cat's favorite place to play mousie

is under the refrigerator. Push the mousie under the refrigerator. Lie on side staring under said refrigerator. Wait for human with flashlight to fish out mousie. We put a piece of wire mesh under the refrigerator to discourage this play.

[legally blonde]

6. lol--I have a cat that does the same thing

Morty loves to shove his toys under the frig and stove. Once a week I take a flashlight and a bent wire hanger and fish out about a dozen toys. The next day all those toys are right back under there.