Clean Run Magazine - February 2007 - 83

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Linda Martuch, photos by Clean Run HOW TO PICK A Are you tired of buying
toys that your dog ignores, or are you having trouble finding the right
toy to motivate your dog? How can you tell what your dog will like before
you buy a toy? Even training professionals can have difficulty choosing
toys. Years ago I asked a famous trainer for her opinion of some
prototypes for new toys my company had designed. Her comments were
generally favorable with the exception of one toy, which she labeled
“ugly and useless. The instant she “ uttered those words her dog
grabbed the toy and refused to let go. Her dog’s ardor for that toy was
so strong the trainer talked me into giving her the prototype. When the
experts can’t always choose well, it’s no wonder the rest of us
occasionally make choices that our dogs don’t agree with. The lesson
here is, to quote an adage, “Don’t judge a book by its cover, or
don’t pick a ” toy on its looks. Years later, we still make that
“ugly” toy; we call it the Jitterbug Tug. But what did that little dog
like about that toy? Dogs like toys that stimulate their four natural
senses: sight, bite, sound, and smell. All dogs are stimulated by these
four senses in different ways, and each dog favors one or more senses over
the others. Your dog’s breeding February 07 | Clean Run may give us some
insight into his preferences, so let’s look at some common examples.
Retrievers will work all day for cookies, because they are food motivated,
right? Yes, but like most dogs, they’re also sight and bite stimulated.
Retrieving is a joy for them because the retrieval game activates two
senses: visual Scent Stimulation Toys Scent stimulation toys incorporate
animal scents or food scents. Real fur is stimulating to many dogs that
are otherwise hard to motivate. Toys that hold treats that you can toss
and tug with, and then reward the dog from, are very useful in agility
training. chase the toy and bite carry the toy . The toy excites them to
action and the game is their natural response. Most retrievers will
respond well to toys they can chase and carry. Herding breeds are also
sight and bite stimulated. Herding is visual work and movement will
certainly excite these breeds, but a Border Collie may prefer to grip,
nip, and control a toy as opposed to carrying it. Herding breeds might
enjoy the “snak e game, played by snaking a ” long braided toy or a
toy with long floppy “legs” around on the floor; or at knee level,
flip it and twitch it like a spastic snake to incite a game of tug.
“Snake” has sight and bite stimulation and invites the dog to
“control” that convulsive toy. Many herding breeds like games where
they can “control” the toy. How about terriers? Terriers are ratters;
they find their joy in the dirt. Instinctually they want to locate prey by
scent and sound, and then kill it. They like toys that squeak and scurry
and smell like vermin, and the closer to the floor, the better. Real
animal The Wubba Wubba is designed to stimulate multiple senses. It
combines a tennis ball carry and chew , squeaky ball sound , and long
floppy legs visual . scents like raccoon or rabbit are very exciting for
them. But what if you have a mixed breed dog, or your dog doesn’t follow
the breed type? Ask yourself what kind of toy your dog has enjoyed in the
past, and what created the most excitement. Was it a rolling ball, a game
of tug, or something really smelly? What toys are ignored? Compare the
toys he likes with the ones he doesn’t like to determine what he wants.
My Lab’s favorite toys are a plain old tennis ball and a two-handled tug
toy called the Fur Force that’s made of knotted plush fabric. Both are
slightly furry with a firm but yielding bite, so I look for those
qualities when selecting a new toy for her. 83 Warning : Unknown : The session id contains invalid characters, valid
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Clean Run Magazine - February 2007

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