Interactive Dog Toy

Interactive Dog Toy - A Fetching Idea to Soothe Your Anxious Pooch

presented by A Dogs Care Magazine

Is your dog tearing your house apart – and I mean literally tearing it to shreds? Do you come home and find that your magazines have been torn to pieces and strewn about, that your curtains have been chewed in half, and that your favorite chair is consistently moist and ragged?

There could be countless reasons why your doggie turns into a house eater the minute you leave the premises, but one probable thought is that he’s just not getting enough exercise, so all his pent up energy gets taken out on your house.

The solution? Wear him out with exercise.

“But there’s no time,” you say? Believe it or not, it is very easy – not to mention crucially necessary – to exercise your dog. They don’t require gym memberships or special training equipment. And the best thing of all, they don’t require any motivation because it’s already built in. You see, while it may be very difficult to convince ourselves to get off the couch and get our bodies moving, your dog has to be active. And if you own a working breed, the activity demands are ten fold. If you don’t help him get his exercise, he’s going to find his own means of expunging energy – i.e. chewing up your house.

Since most dogs have a natural instinct to retrieve and return, one of the easiest exercises you can do with your dog is to play fetch with the oldest interactive dog toy ever made: a ball. Fetching is not only great cardiovascular exercise for you and your dog, but it also strengths your bond as companion and – if played correctly – as dominant pack leader.

The best way to start playing fetch with your dog is to carefully begin indoors. Find an object to pique your dog’s interest with and casually toss it to see how he reacts. If he pounces on the object and this activity retains his interest, then you’ve got a prime fetcher waiting to be unleashed. But if he gives a nonchalant look that says, “Why are you throwing things in the house you silly human?” then maybe fetching is not for you.

Make sure the interactive dog toy (ball, kong etc.) is right for your dog. Objects that are too small can become choking hazards. If it’s too big, the dog might not be able to grasp it. Avoid sticks because they could cut and splinter your dog’s mouth. And avoid fibered material like cloth and towels. If he tears the material apart and swallows any part of it, it could damage his digestive system. Dogs do not digest fiber very well. Threads can come apart, get trapped, knot and string a dog’s intestines together which can be fatal. So it’s important to make sure that the fetching object is soft but durable and harmless to your pooch. For some recommendations on a safe interactive dog toy click here.

You also want to make sure that you practice the release command. Here is where you strengthen your role as pack leader. If your dog fetches an object and refuses to give it up, he’s asserting dominance over you. You should always be in the position to take anything away from your dog. And your dog needs to know and respect this. If your dog challenges you by claiming a possession and you don’t correct this by taking that “possession” away then you are enabling aggressive behavior. Your dog shouldn’t own anything. He is only allowed to borrow things from you. This isn’t being mean. It’s quite the contrary since this philosophy provides a structure that your dog can easily identify with, understand and obey. This creates mental stability for your dog which in turns makes for a much happier, healthier not to mention more enjoyable pet. It’s difficult to accept this sometimes because we like to humanize our pets and pretend that they are just as materialistic as we are. But dogs are better at being dogs than they are at being humans.

Practicing the release command with the interactive dog toy is always advised and easier to start when a dog is young, but talk to your vet if this is not your situation. If it is, to practice this release command, do the following steps:

With a suitable fetching object, instruct your dog to take the object in his mouth
Remove the object from the dog’s mouth
Replace the object back into his mouth then remove it again
Then let him keep the object.

Do this routine several times a day for several weeks. This lets your dog know that even though you may take something away from him, you’re ensuring him that you’re going to give it back. So there’s no need for your dog to protect any territory because you are protecting it for him. This helps to build the dog’s confidence in you as a leader and provider and he can trust that you won’t mislead, mistreat or deny him security.

When you have this release command under control then you are ready to start fetching with the interactive dog toy. Start by throwing low. Dogs who jump too high, especially large breeds, are at risk of severely damaging their joints. So start low and keep the height at a reasonable level. Instead of increasing the height, increase the length of the throw. This, unlike jumping too high, is great for your dog’s health because it forces him to run faster and longer thus increasing his cardiovascular workout.

Reward your dog for retrieving and returning the interactive dog toy to you. Give him lots of praise. If your dog is familiar with a treat system, use treats. But if he’s not used to receiving treats for praise, it is not advisable to implement this system. Using treats can not only get expensive for you but it can also lead to overeating and poor health for your pup.

Fetching can be a lot of fun. It’s a great workout and a great way to play with your pet. After a while, it’ll hardly feel like exercise at all. But your dog’s physical and psychological health – and your house – will thank you for it.

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