A flirt pole is a powerful teaching tool.
Many dogs find the flirt pole so intensely exciting that if you don’t play with rules, they forget their manners. We want to make sure that your dog earns the reward of chasing the toy in exchange for a show of self-control. When done properly, this game teaches patience, good listening skills, fast response to cues, and impulse control even when really excited. It’s a great learning tool for dogs who are easily distracted or have lots of energy!
Safety first.
- Do not encourage your dog to jump for the toy lure. We know it looks cool. Don’t do it. Keep the toy low on the ground – mimic the movement of a squirrel, not a bird.
- Always play off-leash, so it can’t get tangled in the toy
- Make sure your dog has good traction. Never play high-speed games of any kind on a slippery surface.
- Make sure to alternate the direction of the chase so you don’t stress one side of your dog’s body through repetition
Now, the rules.
Before you make the toy move, ask your dog for a simple cue that they know well, such as “sit,” or “touch.” When he’s performed the behavior, immediately release him to chase the toy (“okay!” or “get it!” work well) and move the toy along the ground.
- If he is unable to perform the behavior due to excitement, it’s time to put the toy away. Too much of an exciting game can lead to unwanted behaviors.
- If he’s unable to perform the behavior because he is distracted or confused, make it easier somehow – use a hand signal, or a treat, to show him what you want.
- If your dog grabs the toy before you’ve given him permission, ask him for a “drop” and then re-start the game with another simple behavior.
As your dog gets better with practice at following the rules, you can make the learning more complex by asking for more difficult behaviors, or asking for duration (for example, a “stay” to be released to get the toy), or ask for simple behaviors, but while the toy is moving (this is a great place to use your “leave it!”)
Pay for the drop.
Reward the “drop” (spitting out the toy) with a treat in the beginning until he willingly drops it solely for the reward of chasing it again. The more repetitions he has of dropping the toy and then having good things happen (like treats and more chasing), the stronger this behavior will get.
Ending the game.
If your dog is not able to respond to your cues, starts mouthing you or your clothes, or jumps on or barks at you to get you to move the toy, end the game and try again another time. It’s important that we don’t reinforce unpleasant behaviors with more play.
The flirt pole should be stored where the dog does not have access to it, otherwise they might destroy it.