Dogs & Sticks (Playtime)
Discussion
Recently took friends Alsatian for a run in the park.
I’ll never understand why he brings me a stick, then doesn’t let go of it. Whenever I attempt to wrestle him for it, the dog tends to lock his jaws, insurmountable determination in his unblinking eyes.
I let go of the branch, pick up another from the hedge and hold it like a great prize. Dog immediately lets go of the stick he was holding and jumps for the new one. I throw it; the dog sprints after it, leaving me to pick up the original one.
Why is someone else’s stick always better? Is it the canine equivalent of the grass always being greener?
I’ll never understand why he brings me a stick, then doesn’t let go of it. Whenever I attempt to wrestle him for it, the dog tends to lock his jaws, insurmountable determination in his unblinking eyes.
I let go of the branch, pick up another from the hedge and hold it like a great prize. Dog immediately lets go of the stick he was holding and jumps for the new one. I throw it; the dog sprints after it, leaving me to pick up the original one.
Why is someone else’s stick always better? Is it the canine equivalent of the grass always being greener?
The serious answer is that dogs like to play tug of war as it's a way of testing the pack layer system, they win, they move above you in the pack etc... 
However the very serious answer.... because they are as daft as a box of frogs, and therefore belive anything that you have, that they don't is always the best, especially dinner. Or maybe that's just my little garbage disposal unit...
However the very serious answer.... because they are as daft as a box of frogs, and therefore belive anything that you have, that they don't is always the best, especially dinner. Or maybe that's just my little garbage disposal unit...
Forgive me if I am wrong but I was always told throwing a stick for a dog was a big no no and potenially dangerous.....
But back on topic, I used to love this with my dog and his ragger, if I got bored of pulling on it and he wouldnt let go, I'd just fish a ball out of my pocket, you could almost see the deliberation in his eyes
Ragger - Shiny ball - Ragger - Shiny Ball
I miss my dog
But back on topic, I used to love this with my dog and his ragger, if I got bored of pulling on it and he wouldnt let go, I'd just fish a ball out of my pocket, you could almost see the deliberation in his eyes
Ragger - Shiny ball - Ragger - Shiny Ball
I miss my dog
My brother's old dog (god bless him no longer around) used to chase stones. He was a bit mental. He'd like to stand in the middle of the River Colne while I stood in the middle of a bridge with a stick, I'd throw it downstream and he'd swim after it, but instead of getting out he'd swim against the current toward me then get out and drop it at my feet, then jump back in again.
It was easy to tire him out but it took a good hour
It was easy to tire him out but it took a good hour
Paddy_N_Murphy said:
anonymous said:
[redacted]
PC World gone mad eh ?.....Thankfully she was fine, but it pays to be a bit careful and think where your dog may not, we have one of those rubber balls on a rope loop, much cleaner and it's never going to damage the dogs mouth if she pounces on it at the wrong moment...
the_lone_wolf said:
Paddy_N_Murphy said:
anonymous said:
[redacted]
PC World gone mad eh ?.....Thankfully she was fine, but it pays to be a bit careful and think where your dog may not, we have one of those rubber balls on a rope loop, much cleaner and it's never going to damage the dogs mouth if she pounces on it at the wrong moment...
)anonymous said:
[redacted]
Yeah they weren't perfect, I also remember giving the backlift some gusto and seeing the ball fall about 3 feet behind me, I think if dogs could do a facepalm, he would've done right there...Ah ok, I'll check one out next time I get a dog, I have had the horrible experience of having a dog with a partner, us breaking up and her keeping the dog, I won't be getting another one until I own my own place and wouldn't have to go through that again....
Mrs Grumpy said:
And I third it.
Someone threw a stick for one of my dogs once. It went end over end and the dog impaled herself on it down her throat. Luckily no serious harm done.
Someone threw a stick for one of my dogs once. It went end over end and the dog impaled herself on it down her throat
. Luckily no serious harm done.
seen that many times before, will only ever throw sticks for my dogs in the water then take it from them straight away.Mrs Grumpy said:
And I third it.
Someone threw a stick for one of my dogs once. It went end over end and the dog impaled herself on it down her throat. Luckily no serious harm done.
Yes but realistically how often does this actually happen (especially with a dog being seriously hurt when neither in this thread were) compared to the many millions of stick throws that happen every day with no bad consequences.Someone threw a stick for one of my dogs once. It went end over end and the dog impaled herself on it down her throat
. Luckily no serious harm done.If you let your dog run about off the lead there are numerous ways it can hurt/kill itself without you being able to do anything about it, the odd stick throw is unlikely to make a difference.
soad said:
Recently took friends Alsatian for a run in the park.
I’ll never understand why he brings me a stick, then doesn’t let go of it. Whenever I attempt to wrestle him for it, the dog tends to lock his jaws, insurmountable determination in his unblinking eyes.
I let go of the branch, pick up another from the hedge and hold it like a great prize. Dog immediately lets go of the stick he was holding and jumps for the new one. I throw it; the dog sprints after it, leaving me to pick up the original one.
Why is someone else’s stick always better? Is it the canine equivalent of the grass always being greener?
That sounds just like my Amber, 3 year old German Shepherd, she is so, so jealous. Pick a stick up, she must have a tug of wall, pick another stick up or a ball, then her attention goes to either the stick or ball.I’ll never understand why he brings me a stick, then doesn’t let go of it. Whenever I attempt to wrestle him for it, the dog tends to lock his jaws, insurmountable determination in his unblinking eyes.
I let go of the branch, pick up another from the hedge and hold it like a great prize. Dog immediately lets go of the stick he was holding and jumps for the new one. I throw it; the dog sprints after it, leaving me to pick up the original one.
Why is someone else’s stick always better? Is it the canine equivalent of the grass always being greener?
SirClarke said:
Mrs Grumpy said:
And I third it.
Someone threw a stick for one of my dogs once. It went end over end and the dog impaled herself on it down her throat. Luckily no serious harm done.
Yes but realistically how often does this actually happen (especially with a dog being seriously hurt when neither in this thread were) compared to the many millions of stick throws that happen every day with no bad consequences.Someone threw a stick for one of my dogs once. It went end over end and the dog impaled herself on it down her throat
. Luckily no serious harm done.If you let your dog run about off the lead there are numerous ways it can hurt/kill itself without you being able to do anything about it, the odd stick throw is unlikely to make a difference.
Does your dog never run with the stick, end first in his/her mouth? what if it dips its head for some reason, yes, it might not kill the dog but its still not nice for it to get injured.
SirClarke said:
Mrs Grumpy said:
And I third it.
Someone threw a stick for one of my dogs once. It went end over end and the dog impaled herself on it down her throat. Luckily no serious harm done.
Yes but realistically how often does this actually happen (especially with a dog being seriously hurt when neither in this thread were) compared to the many millions of stick throws that happen every day with no bad consequences.Someone threw a stick for one of my dogs once. It went end over end and the dog impaled herself on it down her throat
. Luckily no serious harm done.If you let your dog run about off the lead there are numerous ways it can hurt/kill itself without you being able to do anything about it, the odd stick throw is unlikely to make a difference.
You can teach a dog (pretty much) not to go near a road, or to come when you call, you can't teach it to do a risk assesment on whether a stick is going to lodge into the ground and pierce its throat, mouth etc
Each to their own but I think there is a huge market for throwable dog toys for a reason and seeing your dog in pain is not a pleasant experience
one of my dogs completly understands the concept of fetch. the other one, now dead, didn't. He would get excited when you picked up a ball or a stick and would chase after it like his life depended on it. He would then stand next to it looking at it and back to you wagging his tail all happy with himself. He'd wait there whilst you walked over and picked it up and start all over again.
Either he was very stupid or played a wicked practical joke, but he never once fetched anything.
He didn't like swimming either. He'd stand belly deep in the lake taking big mouthfulls of water. But would go no further.
Either he was very stupid or played a wicked practical joke, but he never once fetched anything.
He didn't like swimming either. He'd stand belly deep in the lake taking big mouthfulls of water. But would go no further.
WorAl said:
But, why not just eliminate the chance of hurting the dog by taking a bit of rope or a ball with you?
Yep, and alcohol is a poison which is why I am sure you are tee-total to eliminate all risk! 
Other risks for dogs - walking on hard surfaces, chocolate, stress by leaving them on their own, breaking legs on polished wooden floors etc etc.
My dog for one would be most upset if sticks were to become verboten, but then he's not stupid enough to carry sticks end-ways and is sufficiently well-trained to instantly drop whatever he is carrying when I shout 'drop'.
Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff