29 AprThe trick to exercising dogs inside? Flirt poles!

If you live in Manhattan, you probably don't have a large apartment or a backyard. Sure, you take your dog for strolls, but a leash walk isn't heart rate-elevating exercise for most dogs and dog parks aren't appropriate for every dog. Fortunately, there is a tool that will get your dog's heart rate beating for a sustained amount of time, and you can use it without leaving your living room. It looks like a hybrid of a whip and a cat toy, and it's called a Flirt Pole.

Flirt pole play is like a mix of fetch and tug, and can be a great way to provide high-intensity exercise and instill self control at the same time – all in a relatively small space.

You can make your own for about $20 or you could splurge and spend $30 on one that's commercially produced for dogs!

Training With A Flirt Pole

PREREQUISITES:
Dog should have a solid sit or down cue (either verbal or hand signal.) Dog should have worked on a drop cue with a ball or tug rope. If your dog needs to learn these behaviors, contact a reward-based trainer or sign up for one of our classes.

• Hold the pole up out of reach from your dog and cue sit or down (start with a sit if your dog is really excited!)
• Wait for your dog to look at you while ignoring the toy for at least a second or two. Release them, by saying “okay!” or “get it!” and drop the end of the toy on the ground, encouraging them to engage and chase after it.
• To start with, only let them chase for about five seconds or so and then reward them by allowing them to catch the toy.
• Let them start to tug on the toy for a moment and then cue a drop. If you need to use a food reward to trade them for the toy for the first few repetitions, do so. After your dog is used to dropping the new toy you will switch to rewarding with the game.
• Cue them down and wait until they are relaxed. (No barking, whining, jumping up, etc.) Then start again!
• Change direction every once in a while so your dog isn’t always running one way.
• If the dog grabs the toy before you say “okay” or “get it” or is mouthy or jumping on you: take a time out and/or start over.

DON'T USE A FLIRT POLE IF:

• Your dog has bad joints or injuries that could be aggravated by quick changes of direction and jumping.
• Your dog doesn’t know the following cues: sit or down wait (or leave it) and drop. Practice these cues with treats first, then a tug toy, then move on to the flirt pole.
• You do not know the dog well. It’s not safe to get an unfamiliar dog all revved up. Establish a working bond with a new dog first – make sure you’re communicating with each other effectively and then start off slow.
• This overstimulates your dog to the point that they can’t calm down after. You know your dog – if this isn’t a good fit, just pass.
• Your dog thinks it’s dumb. Some dogs just don’t dig it. Maybe he'd prefer using an iPad.