# How to Build a Flirt Pole?



## alphadoginthehouse (Jun 7, 2008)

I would like to build a flirt pole for Daja. She's 16# w/lots of energy. How long a pole should I use, what should I use for the pole, how long of a rope, etc.

Also, what is the best method to use. She LOVES to jump and can jump high. I'm 5'5" and she can jump as high as my face! (I thought Butch could jump but oh my goodness!). She will chase a ball but I don't think that's enough for her.

Thanks!


----------



## zimandtakandgrrandmimi (May 8, 2008)

gosh there was a thread that went through how to make one..I can't remember which though...I will look...

but basically its a stick a rope and a toy. Not too hard...Size depends on the size your dog and the area you will be using it in...


I prefer mine kind of small with long rope ..my big one has a three foot pole and an eight foot line for a forty five pound dog in fifty squared area of yard. But I do things like run around the yard dragging it and swinging it... 

hehe with a small dog you can dogfish..lol....if Daja happens to be part terrier she will likely love this little game...hold it like a fishing pole and swing it. When the dog jumps and bites the toy pull back hard like you would if you had just caught a twenty pound fish. I have seen little terriers grip and hold the bite surface whilst their owners lifted them off the ground. One little guy even swung his body upwards released his bite and latch on to the pole itself. Pretty impressive to me..

What do you want it for...training or just exercise..?


----------



## alphadoginthehouse (Jun 7, 2008)

Kind of both. To start, exercise. But I would also like to use if for training of stay, leave it, that sort of thing. Daja and I are still working on a lot of stuff but she's getting better (and so am I!). For now, it's mainly to burn of her high energy. She has a VERY high prey drive and I thought it would be great.

Also, I looked for the thread on here but didn't find anything specific to building the flirt pole. I'll look some more.

Thanks for the info.


----------



## zimandtakandgrrandmimi (May 8, 2008)

http://www.dogforums.com/2-general-dog-forum/36969-built-flirt-pole.html

found it.


----------



## Dogstar (May 11, 2007)

I just bought a lunge whip at Tractor Supply Company ($17) and tied a toy on the end.


----------



## pugmom (Sep 10, 2008)

Here is a picture of ours...just about 5-6 ft of PVC pipe, 10 ft of rope and a tug toy tied to the end....










I like to have the pipe part longer because I can control the rope speed and direction better.


----------



## alphadoginthehouse (Jun 7, 2008)

I have the rope and the toy...now I need to find a stick/pole. May go to HD, buy a couple poles and have them drill a hole in the end to tie the rope. I'm so excited! Daja deserves to have this to play with. Don't know if the others will take to it but I'm pretty sure she will.

Thanks everyone!


----------



## pamperedpups (Dec 7, 2006)

A horse lunge whip works better (in my opinion). I just tie a toy to the end of the line.


----------



## MoonStr80 (Oct 9, 2006)

Someone ought sticky this


----------



## alphadoginthehouse (Jun 7, 2008)

MoonStr80 said:


> Someone ought sticky this


I agree. How does that get done?


----------



## pugmom (Sep 10, 2008)

pamperedpups said:


> A horse lunge whip works better (in my opinion). I just tie a toy to the end of the line.



My dog would snap a lunge whip in 2sec..


----------



## alphadoginthehouse (Jun 7, 2008)

Dogstar said:


> I just bought a lunge whip at Tractor Supply Company ($17) and tied a toy on the end.


I think I can get a piece of wood/pvc pipe for much cheaper since I already have the rope but thanks for the suggestion. I'll let everyone know how it goes...[keeping fingers crossed]


----------



## BarclaysMom (Aug 24, 2008)

I made mine for free from a scrap of wood I had laying around, an old horse lead, and a toy we already had. Best money I ever spent


----------



## klip (Jul 22, 2008)

I discovered the following about a flirt pole:

Threading the rope through a pipe works better than trying to tie it to the end - its actually very secure and its easier to adjust the lenth of the rope. So it can be long for a while and if you like, you can pull some through the pipe and have it be shorter.

I made my pole about 4 feet long and its actually a bit too long. But that is because my yard is long and narrow. So if you have space to swing the pole about, 4 feet is a good lenght. Its acutally not that important for it to be very long, and it can be a bit difficult to manage if its too long...


----------



## Dogstar (May 11, 2007)

The thing is, the flirt pole isn't for tugging, My guys only get to keep playing with it if they bring the toy to hand when I ask. While you're 'reeling in' the toy, if you keep the stick parallell to the direction of tug, it'll prevent breaking.


----------



## BarclaysMom (Aug 24, 2008)

Dogstar said:


> My guys only get to keep playing with it if they bring the toy to hand when I ask.


That's a good idea, I never thought of that!


----------



## pamperedpups (Dec 7, 2006)

My big dogs haven't been able to break the lunge whips we've used and we love to tug with it. We tug with the pole parrallel to the action and not. The Boxer also loves it when I beat the ground with the pole part of the whip before I spin away. I can also ask for the dogs to give, drop, leave or back away from the toy to mix things up. The only reason we had to replace the first whip was because I left a puppy with it and he chewed the line off.


----------



## alphadoginthehouse (Jun 7, 2008)

I got a 4' long pole (very light), put a screw eye in the end. How long should the rope be in comparison to the pole (I cut a piece about 5')?

So am I understanding correctly, the dog should NOT catch the toy and if they do, a command to drop it is in order? I'm so new to this but I want to give Daja the mental and physical stimulation she has been lacking.

Thanks to everyone for their help and advice.


----------



## BarclaysMom (Aug 24, 2008)

alphadoginthehouse said:


> So am I understanding correctly, the dog should NOT catch the toy and if they do, a command to drop it is in order?


Depends on the game. Barclay likes to chase most of all, catch and chew a bit, then we're working on drop. After he drops I like to get a sit and then have him wait while I move it around a little (he can't stand much without breaking yet, but he's getting better). Then I release him and the chase is on again! He does like to tug after catching it. I figure whatever wears him out is a good thing. Random destruction around the house in the evenings has gone down quite a bit since we started this


----------



## Namrah (Jul 15, 2008)

I made one from strong rope threaded through PVC pipe. Knotted one end of the rope to keep it threaded in the pole, and tied the other through a a toy.

I do let Elka tug on the toy quite a lot because she loses interest fast if it's just plain old chase. Also, with Elka I keep it 99% on the ground since she's under a year old and I don't want her jumping a ton. Of course, she does occasionally get a jump off, but she's very content to chase the toy along the ground. I have a pretty big yard so I move around a lot as well.

The best part about the flirt pole for me, at least, is that Elka has become much stronger on her stay, wait, and leave it commands, as well as sit and drop from a distance. She really wanted to get the toy, so it's a fantastic training tool.


----------



## pugmom (Sep 10, 2008)

Dogstar said:


> The thing is, the flirt pole isn't for tugging, My guys only get to keep playing with it if they bring the toy to hand when I ask. While you're 'reeling in' the toy, if you keep the stick parallell to the direction of tug, it'll prevent breaking.


I guess we all have our own way we use our dogs toys...I let my dog tug for a minute or two then have her release it on command...so we are very "rough" on the ol' flirt pole...plus I'm not going to pay 17$ for something I can make for 6$....but that is just me


----------



## alphadoginthehouse (Jun 7, 2008)

Mine cost me about $2.50. Now I just need to see if it works! Tomorrow after work.


----------



## pamperedpups (Dec 7, 2006)

My lunge whip flirt pole only cost a few more bucks than the hardware store version I first made and it's much easier to work and travel with, IMO. For those who are worried about it, there really is no "right way" to play with your dog as different dogs have different play styles and drives. If you look in Jane Killion's book "Pigs Fly" she illustrates using a lure without pole, a furry lure with a wand and a wand with a ribbon lure to entice various dogs to play during training. Some dogs like to tug, some like to chase on the ground, some like to chase in the air. I've trained my dogs to like all three. The smaller wand flirt poles are easier to keep hidden on your person and bring with you to use as rewards while training.


----------

