cow hide/ spring pole questions

Hi I have a few questions regarding cow hides and spring poles. I have already made a spring pole with a rope, and a bike tire and Gambit loves them. When browsing this forum I read people use cowhides and people had great reviews, so I decided to order and see if Gambit would enjoy them as much as others dogs did. Soon as the box arrived I could see Gambit was very interested in them by how much he was sniffing the box. He would not leave it alone and I’ve never seen him that interested in almost anything before. I tried hanging it and all he did was look at it, some time went by and he started standing on his hind legs and would lick it. When I brought him inside he would sit by the glass door and stare at it. He didn’t care about anything else, for a good chunk of the day he sat at the window and stared at the hide. Today he did the same licking ordeal, so I decided I would take it down so he could check it out on the ground and see what he does. For a good five minutes he profusely licked it. I watched a little more and he started biting it, but little bites around the edges. Usually when he bites something he chews on it hard, or pulls and shreds on it. Later in the day I hung it back up, and he pulled on it a little, but not like he would with the rope or tire. I’m wondering if anyone who’s used them has done anything to try and gain their dogs interest, or did you just hung it and the dog started biting and pulling it. I’ve tried waving it around like one would with a flirt pole, and done the same things I did the first time he used the rope and tire, but he likes licking it. Also I’ve read people soak them in water, I’m wondering what benefits this does? And I was curious as how people hang them? Right now I have a hole I put in it, and have a clip connecting it to the spring.

 

All I can answer is the soaking in water, that is to develop a smell and they then go after that off meaty smell lol. The rest I can't help you with as my dogs really like hide from the word go but they don't bite a rubber mat that is used for hanging

 

I think it may be that you need to introduce the hide in a different manner.. Put the hide in a flirt pole first and your dog will catch on... He needs to see the hide move and understand that you want him to bite it... If that doesn't work then you may have dog that doesn't work cowhide... But I would put it on a flirt pole till he gets it then move the cowhide onto the spring pole

 

You got the connection right(HIDE TO ROPE).Just get him thinking the hyde is prey.Once you do that if he is a more intense dog it could take an hour or so just to bring him down from working out(Mentally).After I have worked/exercised my mutts they almost seem disappointed.LOL...They love it.Just show him what he needs to do and you and he will be happy.

 

I started using it attached to a flirt pole like suggested. He will chase it and jump bite and hang when i run around with it. Even play tug of war, but once i put it back hanging he ignores it, but never does that with the rope.

 

Try putting the cowhide on the flirt pole and once he catches a good hold stand the flirt pole vertically with the rope and hide coming out the top that way he's pulling down on the hide like he would a spring pole, give him some praise if he doesn't release his hold and continues to work that way he knows that's what you want him to do (work the hide)....eventually he should pick it up and he'll hit that hide anywhere you put it! IMO the flirt pole is a far better workout for your dog (and you) than the spring pole. Good luck man!

 

flirt pole and spring pole are for different things so you can't really say that one is better than the other... but as far as him not wanting to use the hide on the spring pole, they have given good advice if you insist on him using it on the spring pole keep working these ways and maybe he will eventually. but like stated above you might just have one that will not work with it on the spring pole nothing wrong with the way you were doing it before you can always just keep it on the flirt pole.

 

Like others stated. Build up his drive for the hide enough to where he want's to hit it on sight. Hang your spring pole at a tension to where your dog can leap up and get the hide but still be able to stand on the ground to jerk and pull back against the tension (that is what builds strength). Make sure the tension is enough for the hide to pull out of his mouth if he starts to chew or loosen hold. Do not hang the springpole at a height that your dog is suspended off the ground in hold. This does nothing for full body strength and is great for loosening teeth... nothing but pure gimic.