Text: Sarah Wanless
This month’s enrichment idea is for those dogs that LOVE to chase.
Do you have a herding breed or a high-drive dog? Or are you just looking for a fun way to help your dog get rid of their energy? Then the flirt pole is for you!
What is a flirt pole?
A flirt pole is like a giant cat toy, but for your dog. It consists of a durable pole with a toy/lure attached to the end of a long rope (if you know horses, think of a lunge line with a toy at the end). In theory, it’s quite a simple toy, as all you do is hold the pole and move the lure around you and entice the dog to chase it. However, these poles and the activity they provoke can be both physically and mentally stimulating for your pooch.
Why do we like the flirt pole so much?
The flirt pole:
- allows the dog to engage their prey/chase drive in a safe and constructive way
- provides a great way to help your dog work on their impulse control
- works as an all-around great way to help you keep up with your high-energy dog while they do all the work.
Depending on how fast you move the lure, this can be an extremely tiring exercise for your dog. It is also a high-impact activity, so we do need to be careful to start quite slowly with the lure initially and also work our way up in terms of the duration of the session. This is not a good activity for young puppies or dogs with arthritis or mobility issues.
The exercise
Start by finding a nice, big, open space where you and your dog can move around freely. It’s a good idea to have some rules in place before you start playing with your flirt pole – “sit”, “down”, “drop it”, and “wait” are all foundational skills to have in place. Ask your dog to “sit” or “down” and ask them to “wait” as you move the lure around. When you are ready to ‘release your dog’, you can give them the “get it” command. It’s up to you how long you drag the toy around until your pup ‘gets it’, but it is important that they catch it frequently, as catching the lure is the reward. Remember to keep the lure running along the ground, not across any difficult terrain or in the air, to avoid injuries to yourself and the dog.
When your pup catches the lure, let them enjoy it a little by letting them have a chew and enjoying their victory. Just also be careful not to let the game deteriorate into a tug-of-war when you retrieve the lure to start again. If you have a well established “drop it” cue, ask your dog to “drop it”, ask for the “sit”/”down” and “wait” and then start all over again!
Once you have progressed and your dog is becoming a pro at playing with the flirt pole you can make the “wait” harder by increasing the speed and proximity of the lure to them. You can also add more difficulty by waiting for the behaviour you want once they have caught it, such as waiting for them to sit and drop the toy automatically.
As all dogs are different, it is important to learn what part of the game your dog loves the most. Does he enjoy the stalk and anticipating which way the toy is going to go? Or is it the chase, where your dog is actively chasing down the lure? Or is it catching the lure and having it in their possession? Knowing which part of the ‘hunt’ sequence your dog enjoys best helps you both get the most out of the activity.
Make your own flirt pole
You can purchase a readily assembled flirt pole (we recommend the Outward Hound brand), or you can make your own with a piece of PVC piping, bungee cord or rope and a dog toy of your choice (pick one you know your dog likes).
To make your own:
- Buy a piece of PVC piping (approximately 1.6-1.8 meters long) and a piece of rope/bungee cord (approximately 3-4m in length) – remember you want to keep the dog close.
- A dog toy of your choice.
- Thread the rope through the pipe and tie a knot at either end of the pipe to keep the rope from sliding in and out.
- Tie a toy to the end of the rope.
Interesting fact for herding dogs
For many herding dogs who like to control movement (stalking and chasing the lure), you’ll find that this activity is highly rewarding, and they often won’t take food rewards from you as the activity itself is reward enough.
Final thoughts
Playing with a flirt pole is a great way to help your dog get rid of their energy as well as reinforce some vital obedience cues, such as “sit”, “down”, “wait”, and “drop it” in high energy situations. As previously mentioned, it also helps your dog to learn impulse control, as they need to wait for your cue and learn to focus on you despite the excitement and distraction of the flirt pole. When your dog’s impulse control is more refined, you will find you can be more confident in their ability to heed cues in busy, exciting or potentially dangerous situations.
Bentley – a flirt pole expert
We own a rescue Border Collie, Bentley, who has herding instinct, and energy, in spades. If left unattended he will herd dogs in the park, irrespective of their size – yes, he has tried his luck with a Great Dane before. He also loves to play fetch (this has to do with his instinct to control movement). Since incorporating the flirt pole (we got the Outward Hound one from Canine and Co) into our training I have noticed a massive improvement in his impulse control as well as his ability to listen to me during exciting situations. It has also been a great tool to have during this recent wet summer, where we haven’t necessarily been able to get out and about as much as I would have liked (don’t get me wrong, we still walk in the rain). He has a pre-existing hind leg injury so I was very careful to start slowly and build up the duration, and keep the sessions relatively short so as not to exacerbate the old injury, but so far, so good!
For more info on Bentley and his sister Shelby follow them on Instagram @pandapuppers
