How do you flirt?

[jambet]

Just wondering how you guys flirt your hounds. I know most people,that I know,have them change direction continuously for x amount of time without allowing them to mouth the rope. I also know people that allow them to grab the rope and try to somewhat tangle the hound up. They do this in hopes to teach their charge to be quick on his/her feet. So what are some different ways you guys flirt your hounds?

[CYJ]

I would be careful with to much fast changing of directions. Can possibly wretch the dog's spine. This was I believed mentioned in the Armitage book.

In the Ozzie interview there was the mentioning of how he worked a dog with a Flirt Pole. Up to 450 jumps over a time period twice a day. A Flirt Pole work out, can really work a dog hard and can easily over work one. So you have to be careful with the flirt pole.

To fully understand any of those top dog men's keep. You need to be there to help work and see how the dog is worked.To get the proper feel of what is going on. I do not know if Ozzie continued his famed steroid keep on his dogs over time.

But at that meeting up at Sonny's place. He was promoting it as the Cat's Meow. For a dog to withstand jumping up to 450 times twice a day and I assume other work as well. To recover on a daily bases, might take a Steroid keep along with good feed and rest. Not disputing Mr. Stephany did not jump a dog that much near the end of the keep. But there is always more that is not told.

Be careful if the flirt pole is a new thing to you. M. Hill took a good dog and worked him with a extra long bamboo flirt pole. This dog was also very active on the chain most of the day.

I watched and saw how hard it worked the dog in short order. Did not take long to have the dog blowing. My thoughts I gave to him was to go in short intervals and walk the dog and watch his water intake. We all most of the time, have to learn the hard way. Dog was overworked and got dehydrated. Was unable to protect itself not far into the dog show and lost.

I may have mentioned this before. The Steroid keep used back then was three combinations of meds. That some veterinarians used to build up a sick or old dilapidated animal before surgery. Or a animal that had been traumatized like being hit by a car. Too also help with a fast recovery with certain antibiotics after surgery.

One was a specialized Fat and lipotropic type med , another was a specialized B complex with iron and the steroid Anavar. All had a big Capitol V on the bottles. Some of the dog men that tried or used this Steroid keep. Sometimes used Testosterone instead of Anavar on the males and the Anavar on the females. If I remember correctly the Anavar was not as masculinizing to a female as the testosterone would be.

There can be much learned from top dog men like Mr. Stephany but never blindly try what they do unless you have seen how it all is done. I read in a Mayfield article how Mayfield said he ran a dog up to 6 hours on a Cat Mill. Well by golly I got one up to 4 hours. Come show time I would have been better taking one off the chain. A lesson well learned. Cheers

[bently]

make sure its on a soft surface such as grass and never let him/her get hold of the flirt

[GAMEWARDEN]

I flirt pole a lot. I think it is a great workout. I don't panic if they get ahold of the Hyde I just keep them moving while they have hold of it. You can use it as a cool down or a "walk out". When you want to get it away from the give them slack and catch them on a re-bite. I think it teaches them to keep there holds and they explode when you get it away from them. They always chase harder for me when they get that taste and lose it. I never let them leave there feet ever! It's not a jumping game that are chasing it on the ground only
Jm2c

[Officially Retired]

There can be much learned from top dog men like Mr. Stephany but never blindly try what they do unless you have seen how it all is done. I read in a Mayfield article how Mayfield said he ran a dog up to 6 hours on a Cat Mill. Well by golly I got one up to 4 hours. Come show time I would have been better taking one off the chain. A lesson well learned. Cheers


Kinda reminds me of the old Farmer joke, where two farmers were talkin at the feed store ...



Farmer Ralph: "My horse is sick, Clem, not sure what I should do."
Farmer Clem: "Well, Ralph, when my horse got sick I gave him turpentine."

Farmer Ralph: "Turpentine, Clem, you sure?"
Farmer Clem: "Yes, Ralph, I'm sure."
Farmer Ralph: "Well, by golly Clem, if that's what you used, I'll try it!"


So the two farmers left, and about 3 weeks later they again met at the feed store ... and Farmer Ralph was pissed!



Farmer Ralph: "Gosh darnit, Clem, I told you my horse was sick and you said you gave your horse turpentine!! I trusted you and gave my horse turpentine and IT DIED!!!"
Farmer Clem: "Mine too."

[The Old Timer.]

I always flirt pole on grass, and I always walk in different directions doing big wide circles, I don't like them jumping, I keep the bait about 12 inches off ground, like to keep there pads on the ground, some times when I lose concentration and he grips rope or bait, I run for the second flirt pole which is hidden close by, and start again. it has to be one of the best ways to condition a dog.

[BROWNING]

I flirt pole a lot. I think it is a great workout. I don't panic if they get ahold of the Hyde I just keep them moving while they have hold of it. You can use it as a cool down or a "walk out". When you want to get it away from the give them slack and catch them on a re-bite. I think it teaches them to keep there holds and they explode when you get it away from them. They always chase harder for me when they get that taste and lose it. I never let them leave there feet ever! It's not a jumping game that are chasing it on the ground only
Jm2c

This is my way also, not alot of twisting until maybe around 2 yrs. old....they need to be fully developed, or you could do more harm than helping him/her. When he gets ahold of it I just walk him around in a circle for maybe 2 mins. and then get back to harder work. JMO

[CYJ]

In one of the older Pete Spark's magazines. Someone had written on the use of the Flirt pole and had a illustrated drawing on it's use. Was last year or longer I talked to one of the UKC registry employees. This Lady said UKC still had some of the older 40's 50's Blood lines magazines that could be bought.

At one time I had about all of them that could be had. These older Blood lines magazines had articles written by dog men like Tudor/Saddler/Fitzwater/Heinzl/etc. Many wrote good articles with good tips on conditioning with their thoughts on the use of the round table/cat mill/tread mill and flirt pole. Cheers

[gabbagabbahey]

The flirt is a great tool in my opinion. I use it like a bullfighter with the red flag. Start when dog is away from you,letting it sprint towards the flirt. Lift & while it is sprinting past you go the other way. Same again after that. Watch your dog & alternate between walking a length & sprinting a length,once you see it needs that recovery.
I don't do the circles or anything,just sprinting,as I would be wary on the dog hurting itself.
Pups you can start chasing the flirt in whatever direction as a game for themselves. Nothing serious,just playing & enjoying themselves.
I use an 8ft fishing rod with the eyes taken out. Tied up leather strap on end.......