#19 in Pet Supplies
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Reddit mentions of Squishy Face Studio Flirt Pole V2 with Blue/Aqua Squeaker Fleece Lure - 36 inch Pole, 52 inch Cord - Durable Dog Toy for Fun Obedience Training & Exercise
Sentiment score: 31
Reddit mentions: 42
We found 42 Reddit mentions of Squishy Face Studio Flirt Pole V2 with Blue/Aqua Squeaker Fleece Lure - 36 inch Pole, 52 inch Cord - Durable Dog Toy for Fun Obedience Training & Exercise. Here are the top ones.
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- New and improved V2 developed using customer feedback from extremely popular original Flirt Pole
- Comes with durable braided Fleece Lure pre-attached
- Regular size flirt pole has a 36” pole section and 52” cord
- Can be used with dogs of any size
- Also works great as a training tool and provides the mental exercise dogs need
Features:
Specs:
Color | Blue/Aqua with Squeaker |
Height | 2 Inches |
Length | 36 Inches |
Size | Regular - 36 inch |
Weight | 0.78125 Pounds |
Width | 2 Inches |
>When she does, I put her in her Den (Crate) but only if she tried to bite me. I know the den shouldn't be used for punishment, but I feel there has to be a way to show her biting is not tolerated.
Right now all you are punishing is the dog coming inside... which is going to create problems when you actually need your dog to come inside because now they won't want to. Yes, dogs learn by consequence, but the consequences MUST come immediately after the behavior you're trying to encourage/discourage.
Is your dog actually attacking/biting you? From your post it just sounds like your dog has developed a poor, perhaps over exuberant, way of initiating attention/play from you. How do they ask for play time in the house?
I would try to be proactive and initiate play with the dog before they have an opportunity start up with the behavior you want to stop. Maybe something with some distance between you and the dog to break the habit of lunging towards you or your hands. I would suggest a flirt pole. I would also suggest working on some obedience right before you take the leash off (ie ask for a sit or a down, remove the leash, and then bring out the flirt pole and release the dog to play).
The thing that causes this behavior is that he is a working breed dog who is extremely energetic. You basically described almost every lab I have ever trained. His owners need to give him a lot more mental and physical stimulation.
Since he is a lab, a chuck it ball thrower would be a great way to play fetch. A flirt pole is another really great toy for tiring dogs out.
For mental stimulation, mealtimes are a perfect opportunity. Have them get either a Bob-A-Lot or a Kong Wobbler for daily feeding and get rid of his food bowl. I recommend the Bob-A-Lot because you can make it easier or harder. This gives him ~10 extra minutes of brain work every day and you don't have to do anything extra.
Then basic obedience and chew/puzzle toys (kong marathon ball, nobbly nubbly, squirrel dude) will also help.
So he's six months old and acting EXACTLY like a puppy with a lot of energy. You need to DO things with him and TRAIN him in bite inhibition. Dogs use their mouths to communicate and that includes play. More than likely he's not being aggressive but trying to play with your hands/arms/feet.
Since he's still a baby you can't do heavy exercise due to them still having to grow but you can still do things with him. You can make a flirt pole (an example: http://www.amazon.com/Squishy-Face-Studio-Exercise-Squeaker/dp/B00HFFXEWE )and play with him outside. You want to ENCOURAGE him to interact with you positively outside. A tired dog is a happy dog.
Why not work in the yard on a long line instead of going on walks? Gets her outside and moving, but keeps her close to home, too. You can work up on distance when she is doing better. As long as you are active with your dog, it doesn't necessarily have to come in the form of a "walk".
Some alternatives:
Not all of these are indoor/outdoor, but depending on the size of your space many of them can easily be done inside, too! It is really important that you don't let her apprehension about being outside keep her indoors. Counter Conditioning can be a big help in helping her become more confident outdoors - just work at her pace, but work consistently. Even if you stay close to home for the next several months and keep outdoor activities short, but more frequent throughout the day, it can do a lot to help her get over her anxieties.
Depending on her level of stress, you could even try feeding her outside, or making sure the meals she enjoys outside have a little extra something in them that helps her realize how rewarding it can be to be outdoors.
Don't go the shelter/rescue road just yet. You're definitely not meeting the physical needs of his breed, however, I think you can start working on some things to make him AND you happier. Some ideas:
Remember you will never, ever be able to beat a BC for exercise. :) Wear them out mentally and the physical part might be easier to manage.
my bc/lab loves his flirt pole
We can go biking for hours, he'll take a nap, and be ready to go again. With his flirt pole, we can play for about 20 minutes and he's nice and chill after that.
Honestly, you exercise your dog while doing things as a family. I don't have a child, but some of my friends with a dog do and them spending quality time together usually consists of them going to the beach with a dog or going to the park with the dog, or going on hikes with the dog. They were active people to begin with (their daughter went on her first camping trip at 1 month old, the dad's a marathoner, the mom's a triathlete) so an active dog fit into their lifestyle. (They have a border collie - the most active of active dogs) Additionally, once your dog is 3 years old, they should calm down a bit, although labs are notorious for acting like puppies far into their adult years.
Generally, this is why people are actually advised away from labs - they're far more high energy than most people expect. They were bred to retrieve and hunt - to work the whole day with a hunter so they've got a lot of energy.
Does your dog have all their shots? Is there a dog park nearby? My dog will get wiped when she gets to play with all the other dogs. Have you taught your dog fetch? That's another great way to get out a lot of energy fast. Do you know what a flirt pole is? It's basically a giant cat toy for dogs (I got mine here). My dog is uber prey driven, so this is the perfect toy for her. You want to go easy on it as your puppy is still very young and their growth plates aren't fused yet, but it can still be very fun and tiring.
Does your daughter have a lot of fun with the dog? Maybe you can figure out some game that will not only tire out your puppy, but allow you to give your daughter your time as well.
Here's what I think you should try:
A flirt pole is like a giant cat toy for dogs.
First, the food. I cannot recommend Zignature enough! My dog has a very sensitive stomach and sheds so much he has developed bald patches, but this all stopped once I started Zignature. I've tried a ton of brands in the past, but I'll be sticking with this one until further notice :)
With Addy's fetch, it's absolutely normal to lose interest in a toy once it stops moving. The movement is the best part! I just bought this for my dog and it's wonderful! (My dog will only play with it indoors, but I'm sure you'll have better success with it). If you get this, you can keep her entertained much longer. You can also use it to work on a solid "drop it." Be patient though. It's hard to convince a dog to drop a toy they want so bad! Cheese is a lifesaver here.
I bought this exact flirt pole for my dog recently and I highly recommend it. It's sturdy enough for my 60 pound mutt so I'm sure it'd be fine for you.
FLIRT POLE!!!!!!!!!!!
This is my shiba's absolute favorite toy. It helps get out her energy when it weather is crappy outside and is a great training tool. I used it to teach LEAVE IT, SIT, DOWN, SLOW, and a few others because she is so motivated by it.
A puppy's first fear period is 8-11 weeks. Welcome to your dog's second fear period. It could pass quickly or it could last until he's a year or 14 months.
The first thing to remember is not to push him. You are correct for not dragging or carrying him. It's important that he learn coping strategies. For the next week or so while you teach him the basics of coping with fear, is there a "safe" area you can exercise him without pushing him past threshold? Do you have a yard you could use to exercise him with a flirt pole?
What you need to do is teach him how to be brave. The two best things you can do are to (a) teach him to touch stationary objects with his nose, and (b) teach him the engage-disengage game.
(A) At home, teach him how to touch objects with his nose on command. Here is a little bit about teaching a nose-palm touch, which is very useful. I extended this skill further and taught my perpetually worried pup to walk up to objects I point to and touch them with his nose. I taught him using basically the same technique as you'd use to teach a hand target behavior.
Start with non-scary objects, and move your way up to things that might be a little scarier inside (a newly opened umbrella gets a lot of dogs).
Then start practicing this in your yard, first with safe objects and then with scarier things. Then move to a walk 100' past your house on either side. Pick random objects to ask him to touch his nose to, and lavish food and praise when he touches them.
(B) Teach him the engage-disengage game. It's a "game" that will teach him to look to you for guidance when he is frightened. When he looks to you, stand confidently and offer him praise and food.
You should see pretty fast progress once he starts figuring out the game. Just make sure not to push him too hard - if he's struggling, always remember to make what you're doing easier and/or less scary.
Engage them outdoors. Even check out a Flirt Pole!
They require more stimulation.
Sometimes you can also productively offer them an outlet to that energy that digging burns. For us, we take our dog to the beach where he can go dig into the sand until his heart desires. That's stopped him from digging out the backyard.
> she won't take treats outside or when she is scared so I don't know how to make it work?
If she won't take treats, it means she's already too afraid for counter conditioning. If you open the door so she can just see outside, but remain inside, does she react this way? Maybe you could start there first.
Also, if you're struggling with exercise you might have better luck with a flirt pole. If you can take her somewhere secluded and just keep her on a harness and longline, you could play that for ~15-30 minutes. Even high energy dogs tend to get worn down pretty fast because of the fast paced chasing and turning.
Also, you say she's pretty smart. How often is she getting training sessions every day? Do you give her puzzle toys? Mental stimulation can really reduce a dog's energy.
The flirt stick I have is here (which honestly was probably way more sturdy than my dogs need XD), but you can also learn how to make your own here. It's important to limit tugging and chewing on the flirt stick anyway-- the game is the chase!
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Rally is something you can easily start doing at home if you're interested and if your dog enjoys training with you. You can see signs and descriptions here and there's a great video demonstrating the signs here. If there's a certain exercise you're stuck on, you can generally find videos on YouTube that will teach you how to teach your dog X, Y, or Z. (This is how I learned how to teach my girl fronts.) I use a treat pouch when I train, and my dog gets SO excited when she sees me put the pouch on! In novice, you don't really need any equipment (some signs include cones, but you can either avoid those signs or use other things you have around to act as cones), which makes it a little more accessible than agility off the bat.
It sounds crazy but that honestly might not be enough exercise, especially if he's still "run[ning] around bonkers a bit on his own too". I am so glad I ended up with a smaller, semi-lazy dog, because even with four walks a day - adding up to probably around 6 miles total - he sometimes has extra energy to burn and we have to play fetch with him or tire him out with a flirt pole (which he LOVES). I'd be totally screwed if I had a larger, more active dog!
Mine dealt with separation anxiety, too, and it took months to train him to trust that we were coming back. High-value treats and food-dispensing toys helped a lot. It took a little while to figure out what he liked best. He goes nuts for peanut butter and bully sticks, though he chews through the latter in about five minutes so I started blending peanut butter with yogurt and water, piping that into a Kong plugged with a dried liver treat, and shoving the bully stick in the middle and then freezing that all so it takes him longer to get through. He also loves deer antlers, which are long lasting.
We decided to partition off one puppy-proofed room of the house instead of limiting him to just the crate. Now that he's finally used to us being gone he voluntarily goes into the crate to sleep until we get back.
Do you think your dog would like this? It’s basically a giant cat toy
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00HFFXEWE/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1538696104&sr=8-1&keywords=squishy+face+flirt+pole&dpPl=1&dpID=317xyhwyOtL&ref=plSrch
Every dog is different - maybe ask your relatives what their dog likes? One of mine is a serious foodie and the other is more into toys/playtime.
FWIW - I wouldn’t offer it food without making sure they’re ok with it. Some dogs have incredibly sensitive stomachs and are on a specific diet.
Edit - if they have space and you’re down to spend a little, Ive yet to find a dog that doesn’t like a flirt pole. Would also be a way to keep the dog a ways away from you while playing
Squishy Face Studio Flirt Pole V2 Dog Exercise Toy with Blue/Aqua Squeaker Fleece Lure, 36-Inch - V2FP-BS
The dog will be fine. My boyfriend and I just adopted a dog the end of May this year. She is a 1.5 yrs old Malamute/GSD/Lab mix. She has a TON of energy. We are out of the house from 6:50am-5pm and we have a webcam set up to watch her while at work, all she does all day is sleep in the sun. When we are home, we make sure to play with her, take her for a 20-30 mins walk in the morning before we leave, and a 40-60 mins walk in the evenings. We take her to the dog park on the weekends to help her burn off her energy as well.
If you are worried about burning off the energy, we invested in a flirt pole for her, maximum energy burn for her, minimum time/effort for us :)
Your job is absolutely not a problem!
Here's a good article with DIY instructions. You can also buy them on Amazon
I got this flirt pole from Amazon when it went on sale. My westies go nuts for it but it doesn't do much for my GSD mix.
i built it after hearing about them (http://www.make-and-build-dog-stuff.com/homemade-dog-toy.html). if i had it to do again, i'd probably go with a pvc pipe handle so the rope actually goes through the whole handle to allow the toy to be pulled to the end of the pole for storage (and wrap up the excess rope). i've seen similar toys on amazon called "flirt poles" - but they didn't look as sturdy as the one i made. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HFFXEWE
here's a video of a play session:
https://youtu.be/-TuZ9iGY8Lo
Hi there! Yes, I too have a big strong reactive pit. I agree that getting in some work to tire her out physically will go a long way. Will she play fetch in the yard? You could always play some fetch or use a flirt pole to wear her out before going on your joyride. Then she could actually enjoy the joy ride without having pent up energy.
Hm. When you did nosework in the past, did you do it on oils? Formal nosework uses their search/scent instincts, but the prize is usually an essential oil scent (like birch), which doesn't smell at all like any prey animals. If you haven't already done that, it might be worth a shot without the risk of bringing home other animals.
A cool way of giving your dog a great work out, without overstressing the body, is a flirt pole. I got one for Capone, and he's loving it! As am I!!! It get's him nice and tired, way more than any walk ever would. I've heard you shouldn't run or weight train them until at least 1.5 so that you don't mess up the hips, growth plates, or bone development... I've talked to my vet about it and he says the flirt pole is great!!
Here's what I use
Enjoy!!
Yep, go to Jo Ann's Fabrics and get a yard of fleece for cheap. Cut up three strips, braid them together, and you have a good toy for your little guy. I did this for my boyfriend's mom's cats and they had a blast.
There's also this cute little fleece toy attached to a stick so you can play with your dog. It's called a flirt pole and my dog likes it a lot.
https://www.amazon.com/Squishy-Face-Studio-Exercise-Squeaker/dp/B00HFFXEWE
If your puppy is strong for his size, get a large flirt pole meant for bigger breeds. I know our pug Fizgig (1yr)LOVES to play with things meant for bigger dogs. And I honestly think she feels like she's a BIG dog lol.
6 years old is middle-aged, so she's not going to have as much energy as a younger dog does. She's also going to have some extra skin that may look flabby. Don't make her run if she doesn't want to, since dogs overheat extremely easily. Continue taking her to the dog park and look into different toys like a flirt pole. Don't bother with supplements, everything she needs is in commercial dog food.
I have a Shepherd and a Lab! Here are some of the hits at our house:
TREATS
TOYS
Here are some we've had luck with:
Hyper Pet Lickimat Slow Feeder Dog Mat & Boredom Buster there are a ton of recipes out there. I've learned Maisey prefers savory more to sweet recipes.
StarMark Bob-A-Lot Interactive Dog Toy This seems pretty darn sturdy. Ours has small teeth marks on the top from when Maisey pushes it into a corner and picks it up to move it, but otherwise she uses it exactly as intended and no destruction involved. Our blue heeler, on the other hand, knew where the treats were coming from and would actively paw at the opening to try and dig them out. She would NOT push it around. Dot was special though. Being a blue heeler, she was a stubborn, intelligent dog who wasn't playing anyone's games.
VARRAM Pet Fitness Robot Pet robot that cracks me up to see Maisey play with. It has an app on your phone that you drive it around with. It's like a sphero that dispenses treats.
Starmark Everlasting Bento Ball I highly recommend this. Maisey can spend so much time on it, we've started setting a timer.
Squishy Face Studio Flirt Pole You'll see a lot of recommendations for flirt poles. They require training (for both you and the dog) to use properly - there are a ton of videos on YouTube about how to use it - don't get me wrong, it's pretty easy. Maisey didn't really go for it. It wasn't her thing. Her prey drive isn't very high.
We also have a Kong but it isn't my favorite. I don't like squeezing the toy in, I have problems every time. I know people will put in food and freeze it, but I don't have that kind of forethought. They are great for destructive dogs though.
You can also look up indoor games. You can put a treat or toy in a blanket and have them dig it out. You can setup obstacle courses. Just google something like indoor dog games or something similar.
Hope that helps!
I agree that your dog needs more exercise. One game that can help during the winter months is tug. If done appropriately it can even help stop bites.
Read Tug O' War is a Fun Game to Play With Your Dog for more info.
I've also heard good things about the flirt pole.
Remember, anytime she bites, play ends.
When guests arrive, I would keep her away from the door and the humans altogether. Set up a room or an exercise pen for her to stay in and give her a special treat, like a marrow bone or bully stick, for her to chew on. People entering is a lot of excitement; set her up to succeed by giving her something to do when people are entering and then let her greet people when she is calm. My dog bites for real and this has worked wonders.
Finally, learning to respond to her name as a positive interrupter, a solid recall, sit, and settle on a mat are all helpful tools to get her away from others or you and her feet and butt on the floor so drill those as much as you can, working towards increasing distractions. Desensitizing and counter-conditioning her to the sound of the door opening, knocking on the door and people entering can also help.
What about a flirt pole?
What type of toys does your son use to play with your puppy? Is there ample room between where the puppy grabs the toy and where your son holds onto it?
You can make the "bite = leave" concept more clear to puppy if you work with a baby gate. Have your son play with puppy on one side of the baby gate and puppy on another. Maybe take a long toy and drag it so puppy can get it. When puppy's teeth hit your son's skin, he needs to immediately leave the baby gate, whether he drops the toy for puppy or drags it with him is up to him. You may need to do a few practice sessions to show him exactly what you mean. But the baby gate creates a clear barrier and separation that you can immediately employ when needed. After 15-20 seconds, go back to playing.
Alternatively, you can have the puppy on a longer leash, like 6-8 feet at least. Have your son play with puppy while you hold onto the leash. When puppy bites, hold onto the leash firmly (don't pull) and have your son move away from the puppy immediately so puppy doesn't follow him.
Mine was a rapant destroyer until about 2 years old, now she is a little velcro firecracker. A toy I highly suggest is this Stick with an Elastic rope Toy. Easiest toy to play with, and minimal work for you. I do suggest a heavier toy on the end as the fleece one feels wimpy.
We got an Aussie puppy last June and we were able to stagger our work hours (wife would go in late, come home for lunch, stay late at work; I would go in early and get out early and go to dog park), which helped a great deal when she was very little. We’d get a dog walker a couple days a week to come at lunch instead of my wife.
Now she goes to doggy daycare two days a week. 6 hours on Wednesdays, 8 hours on Fridays, and I don’t know what we’d do without it. It drains her on those days and makes her more manageable the rest of the week. There was a period of time when she had a puppy wart on her gums and she couldn’t go to daycare for 6 weeks. It was terrible. She was a terror without those daycare days.
They have a lot of energy. A lot.
Edit: I guess I’m kind of thinking about now, at 11 months, how much energy she has. Your first couple of months will be high energy spurts with lots of naps. Get a flirt pole to use before work and at lunch. Your puppy will tire quickly. It’s still our girl’s favorite toy. She used to tire in about 8-10 minutes with it, now she’ll go 15-20 before she starts to slow notably.
Squishy Face Studio Flirt Pole V2 Dog Exercise Toy with Blue/Aqua Squeaker Fleece Lure, 36-Inch - V2FP-BS https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HFFXEWE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_SVGQCbCYQ3BCV
A flirt pole has been my puppy's favorite toy ever since we got him at 8 weeks (he is 10 months now). It's sooo useful for tiring him out, indoors or out!
Look here
Edit:
I have the large one for outside and the small one for indoors. She loves them!
Squishy Face Studio Flirt Pole V2 Dog Exercise Toy with Blue/Aqua Squeaker Fleece Lure, 36-Inch - V2FP-BS https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HFFXEWE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_UU5VCb4G1M4G9
If your dog has mastered "leave it"/"drop"/"release", a flirt pole is a great way to tire them out indoors. It allows them to run and chase and also helps to reinforce commands like stay, drop and go.
http://www.amazon.com/Squishy-Face-Studio-Exercise-Squeaker/dp/B00HFFXEWE
This toy or a DIY version would be good in your back yard.
http://www.amazon.com/Squishy-Face-Studio-Exercise-Squeaker/dp/B00HFFXEWE
If it's important to you, you can work on building her play drive. I used this method to get my dog from complete disinterest in toys to a reliable tug in the house. We're still working on interest in other environments.
Remember to always stop before she gets bored, always leave her wanting more. Even if that means putting the toy away after she sniffs it if you think she's not in the mood. Our agility instructor recommended that if you initiate play do whatever you have to do to get them interested, don't ever let them walk away from you first offering the toy, then you can stop once you get even the slightest bit of interest.
Have you tried chaseable toys like a flirt pole? If you're not morally opposed you could also try a toy with real fur. Clean Run has an entire category of motivational toys.
Last thing, it's probably impossible to over exercise a 2 year old pointer mix, but if she's getting all her energy out in other ways she might be perfectly content to just relax at home. My 2 year old is much more interested in play if I cut our 2 hours of daily exercise down to 1 hour for a day or two so she starts going just a little crazy.
Good luck!
If your dog likes this type of toy, try a flirt pole. They are one of the best dog toys ever invented.
If you cannot move a lot (and that's why you can't exercise him a lot), I have a few possible suggestions.
https://smile.amazon.com/Squishy-Face-Studio-Exercise-Squeaker/dp/B00HFFXEWE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484324235&sr=8-1&keywords=flirt+pole
A flirt pole is almost like a cat tease toy. It's a pole with a felt toy at the end, and you can get your dog to chase after it. Most people use it in their back yards, and the individual can stand in one place while make the flirt pole go in a circle and the dog runs after it. Depending on the dog, it can really tire them out. My particular puppy likes it, but only for a very limited amount of time (he would rather play keep away). I could see how you might possible be able to do the flirt pole indoors from a seated position.
Dog-feeding puzzles might help your dog calm by taxing his brain:
https://smile.amazon.com/Outward-Hound-Feeder-Bloat-Orange/dp/B00FPKNRCS/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1484324554&sr=1-2&keywords=dog+feeding+puzzles
https://smile.amazon.com/OurPets-Smarter-Interactive-Treat-Colors/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1484324953&sr=1-1&keywords=dog+feeding+ball
Also, you could try hiding treats or a toy, and teaching him how to play "hide and seek" with you.
When we want to watch tv, and don't want to get up, we play fetch, and that keeps him happy for a while [but the dang ball always ends up under the couch or other furniture!].
Hope this helps a little.
We have a four month old German Shepherd and he used to do the biting and play attacks but has gotten much better about it. He never play attacks me, and does it rarely for my wife. Here's what worked for us:
I'd be willing to guarantee that a combination of these three things will work. It's frustrating now, but he'll definitely grow out of it. So be patient, if you can. I also like to keep my puppy on leash in the house (if he's not in the crate) as a housebreaking exercise. It just gives me much more control over him and gives him more structure. Plus it's good for bonding.
Anyway, let me know how it goes!