Flirt Pole Fun, How to Engage your Terrier Breed. Terriers love to chase. It is an instinct that runs strong in the breed.
A flirt pole is a great way to allow your Terrier to engage that instinct in a
positive manner.
It’s also a great way to reinforce impulse control and other commands such as sit, down and out.
Have your dog sit or down. Then just before you engage the toy, release them from command “break” and off they go! Go a few rounds letting them chase the flirt pole toy and then let them catch it. Give them a few seconds to enjoy their catch, then give them the out command and repeat.
By starting and stopping frequently throughout the game you are not enabling your dog to get over aroused. You are also training and on/off switch. Sit/down, break, out. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Don’t go for too long. Chasing a flirt pole can quickly exhaust a dog. And remember to change directions. Also, be aware of where your dog is at all times as terriers can get tunnel vision when in high drive and may accidentally run right into you at the knees when trying to make a quick turn.
If your dog doesn’t know the out command, you can teach them!
Play safe, play smart.
Keep the toy on the ground. Do not have your dog jumping in the air after it because this can cause injury to your dog’s joints.
Play for short periods of time and stop before your dog loses interest. This keeps the game fresh and exciting each time you bring out the flirt pole to play. It’s best to play on cool days so your dog doesn’t overheat.
If you are a pet sitter, it’s a great toy to bring along to pet visits. Just be sure to check with the pet’s owner to make sure it is ok to engage their dog in such strenuous play.
Where to purchase a flirt pole…. HERE
Or you can make your own… HERE
Learn more about Terrier Breeds… HERE
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