Best Toy Ever

Over the weekend I made an impulse purchase of a new toy for Johnnie. It was a combo of her two favorite toys: a strong rope and a big ball. Called a Jolly Pet Romp-n-Roll Toy, I figured Johnnie would really like this new find. I was wrong – she *LOVED* it.

This toy is perfect for our new found favorite form of exercise: moving vertically. Nothing tires Johnnie out faster than the exceptional effort of trying to grab a toy I’ve waved right above her head.  It’s also a great outlet for her natural need to chase/catch things. We absolutely love it, as does she!

Just like tug, we make sure that we have rules when we play a game like this. Johnnie must always be sitting calmly and making eye contact with me before she gets the “okay!” cue to go for the toy. By realizing that moving towards the toy makes it go away and most definitely does not get her closer to catching it, she quickly learned to sit and wait politely.

She also must drop it when we ask. Her “drop it” cue is a little rusty, so we use this game as a way to practice. As soon as Johnnie gets the rules down, she is free to play away! Check out this little jumping bean in action.

Can you see now why it tires her out so well? We went ahead and expanded on this concept by buying her a flirt pole from Squishy Face Studios. We are in love! This type of play is so much fun because it’s both a bonding experience and ultra-fast exhausting tool. Aside from crowded public events or difficult new experiences, I’m not sure there’s anything else that makes little J work this hard. Look at her tired smile!

Does anyone else use a flirt pole or other similar exercises to work their dogs?