[ShadowSky]

... and Jake LOVES It... but the stinker figured out in a few minutes that he could also go after the rope or the stick. I think I' made the rope too long, so I'll try shortening it. Right now it has a tennis ball on the end, but I'm thinking of buying a different toy to put there, like a stuffed squirrel or something.

He gets really whiny while chasing it, too; he does the same when I take too long to throw the Frisbee, so that's a good indication that he's excited about it, I believe.

Buck chased after it a little as well, however as with any game of fetch if it got more than two feet away from him he gave up.

I just thought I'd share, I'd been wanting to make one for a while. I KNEW Jake would love it, I just hadn't been able to find a dowel or anything to make it with till now.

So just to hunt for ideas... those of you who have flirt poles for your dogs, what do you tie to the end of it? Do you switch it out every now and then, or just leave one toy on at all times? About how long is a typical flirt pole session?

 

[tirluc]

i made one for my youngest one, as well (he's the only one really interested in it) but i made mine out of a lunge/buggy whip for horses and put a rope in the loop at the end (whip pole is 6' and the lash is about 8', so the toy is about 14' total, plus the lure)....i just use a piece of his "blankie" at the end and that can be changed out as needed...

so far, i've only used it 2x w/ him as it's not easy to play w/ him when i always have all 4 w/ me to play ball and such.....but, i let him go till he was taking some breaks in between chases.....i let him catch it at times and he'd lay down w/ it to rest....probably about 20 min, give or take.....

 

[ShadowSky]

Yeah, I'd been letting him catch it as well to keep him interested. I'm going to try and find a toy that's more suited than his tennis ball... he actually yanked the thing off earlier when I wasn't quick enough lol. He used to have an old delapidated stuffed dog he loved that I would have used, but we had to throw it away, so I'm thinking I'll get another stuffed toy, probably with a squeaker or something.

 

[zimandtakandgrrandmimi]

I use different stuff. Sometimes a squeeker toy rubbed with a bit of Pb, sometimes a ball, sometimes just a toy that she goes bananas for in general..

As for length I think its really whatever you find most comfortable and easy to manuever is best. I have several flirtpoles in addition to my Macgyver one(broomstick and old leash) that vary pretty widely in size depending on where we are going to be..

 

[pugmom]

I have a rope bone on the end of mine......but I think my guys would chase it even with nothing on the end....they love it sooooo much....I have a pretty big/long flirt....as Zim said its what every your most comfortable with

 

[CerbiesMom]

I have a rope toy on the end of mine. I let him catch it every so often. I just made mine also, so I'm trying to go easy on him. He can go a good 20 minutes just fine. It really helps to take the edge off when I get home from work. Gives me time to eat dinner before our walk without him going all zoomy.