“FLIRT poles” have long been popular with dog trainers, but with many of us stuck at home, this interactive dog toy is a good solution for owners looking to keep their dogs occupied and entertained.

Outward Hound’s Tail Teaser Dog Flirt Pole is a sturdier canine version of a string cat toy. Its design is simple: a long stick with a dog toy attached to the end of a rope. The pole is used to mentally and physically challenge your dog, and it can be used as a training tool, too. It’s more engaging and less repetitive than a game of tennis ball fetch.

How to play

The flexible, 36-inch lightweight pole means your dog will tire out before your arm gets sore. Ten minutes of play wears out most dogs.

Playing with the Tail Teaser requires some space. In a pinch, a large room will suffice, but it’s best to play on a carpeted or grassy surface. Hardwood or linoleum floors may cause your dog to slip and hurt themselves.

Flirt poles are especially helpful for dogs who want to chase everything. This toy encourages your dog to safely engage in their instinctual prey drive. All domesticated dogs have prey drive, which is the desire to chase moving objects.

As with any new toy, some dogs instantly figure out the game, but shy or fearful dogs may need a slower introduction. Drag the stuffed toy along the ground so it looks like a small animal and in no time your dog will stalk and chase it. More reluctant dogs can be coaxed to engage with the toy if you rub it with a stinky dog treat.

Stalking, chasing, leaping, and catching the moving toy is all part of the game.

How to use it as a training aid

The main purpose of this toy is fun and exercise, but as a professional dog trainer, I often recommend it for dogs that need help learning impulse control. Impulsivity in dogs looks like snatching food, darting out open doors, jumping on people, or chasing anything that moves. Teaching impulse control means teaching your dog self-control and focus — crucial life skills for family dogs.

After your dog knows some basic cues like “wait,” “sit,” “down,” and “drop,” start practicing these during flirt pole play to teach your dog to switch quickly from a state of high-arousal to calm. Ask for a sit or a down and then use play to reward them for waiting. This teaches your dog that patience leads to more fun.

Exhausted puppy parents will also benefit from the Tail Teaser. Some may begin avoiding the family puppy that plays too rough. They need help with training their new dog how to play appropriately, but in the meantime, they also don’t want their child to be afraid to engage with their shark-puppy. Supervised flirt pole play save the child-dog relationship.

A good majority of dogs will enjoy the Outward Hound Tail Teaser right off the bat and some dogs will need to be taught how to have fun with it. There’s no guarantee it will become your dog’s favorite toy, but for the price, it’s worth a try.

A flirt pole requires human interaction and supervision, so it won’t keep your dog busy when you’re working on your computer or when guests come over (try a stuffed Kong for that). But this dog toy is great for training and fun for both human and dog.

But it’s not recommended for large dogs in small spaces.

(SD-Agencies)