Which Flirt Pole Size Does Your Dog Need? The Whimsy Stick Buying Guide
Go by weight first and then by how hard your dog plays. Under 30 lbs gets the Standard ($55.95), and 30 lbs and up gets the Rugged XL (from $74.95, free US shipping). If your dog is right at 30 lbs, go Rugged XL, and same thing if your dog grabs and shakes hard no matter what size it is. After that you just pick a kit based on how fast your dog is gonna go through lures.
By Christopher Lee Moran, working dog trainer, around 400 client dogs · I designed the Whimsy Stick and I sell it, so keep that in mind. If you’re still comparing designs, start with the 2026 ranking.
Step 1: Pick the size
Standard
- Dogs under 30 lbs
- Lighter pole, smaller lure
- Kevlar line rated at 450 lbs
- Corgis, Shelties, small terriers, mini Aussies, most seniors
Rugged XL
- Dogs 30 lbs and up, or hard players
- Reinforced one-piece fiberglass pole
- Dyneema line rated at 800 lbs
- Pit bulls, Shepherds, Malinois, Cattle Dogs, Huskies, Labs
Why not just buy the XL for every dog?
It’s a fair question, cause once you add shipping they cost about the same. The Standard is $55.95 plus $20 shipping and the Rugged XL is $74.95 shipped. But the Standard is about 4 oz, half what the Rugged XL weighs, and the lure is smaller, and on a small dog that matters. The lure fits a small mouth and the pole moves quick enough to keep up with short fast turns. A 15-lb dog just doesn’t need the big pole and the big lure.
Why 30 lbs?
Weight is really just a stand-in. What I actually care about is how hard your dog hits the lure and shakes it, and around 30 lbs is where the lighter pole starts to feel like it’s outmatched. So the kind of breed and how it plays can bump a dog up a size, but they hardly ever bump one down.
When I say hard player I mean a dog that clamps down and shakes the lure hard. Being excited isn’t the same thing, and a lot of excited little dogs do just fine on the Standard.
Step 2: Pick the kit
Lures wear out and the pole shouldn’t, so picking a kit really comes down to how often you’re gonna play and how hard your dog bites down.
Rugged XL Pro Kit
- Rugged XL pole and 800-lb Dyneema static line
- 5 lures and a spare line, so a chewed-up lure doesn’t end your session early
- For dogs 30 lbs and up · free US shipping
30-day money-back guarantee · usually ships within 2 days
| If you… | Get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Play most days with a big, hard-biting dog | Rugged XL Pro Kit (5 lures + spare line) | $129.95 |
| Play a few times a week with a big dog | Rugged XL + 3 Lures | $94.95 |
| Want to try it with a big dog first | Rugged XL (1 lure) | $74.95 |
| Have a dog under 30 lbs | Standard (1 lure) | $55.95 + $20 shipping |
Replacement lures are $12.95 and a Rugged XL line is $19.99. Every Rugged XL kit ships free in the US, and the Standard costs $20 to ship cause it goes out in a longer box.
Edge cases
Right at 30 lbs
Rugged XL, don’t overthink it. A little bigger pole is easy to handle, but a pole that’s too light for a strong dog wears out quick.
A small dog with big drive
Working terriers and other small intense dogs still go on the Standard, you’ll just be replacing lures more often. A 20-lb dog that bites hard can go through lures as fast as a laid-back 60-lb dog.
Small dogs chase hard too. Give a little dog a lighter pole and a smaller lure and it can run full speed without the gear getting in the way.
See the StandardTwo dogs of different sizes
Get the size that fits each dog, and run them one at a time while the other one waits instead of turning them both loose on the same lure. That keeps it a game, cause two dogs on one lure can turn into a fight over it pretty quick.
Puppies, seniors, and dogs with joint issues
Puppies should wait till at least 6 months, and ask your vet about growth plates. Till they’re older keep it short and gentle, just a few minutes. Older dogs and dogs with joint problems need your vet’s okay first, then keep the lure low with wide turns. Unless they’re big, most of these dogs do better on the lighter Standard.
What makes either size worth buying
Whichever size you pick it’s built the same way. It’s one piece, cause when you break a pole into 2 pieces or make it collapse you lose strength, and there’s no joint to work loose. The line is static so it won’t snap back at you like a bungee, and the lure stays down on the ground where it should be. On the Rugged XL the reach is about 8 feet, so plan on a clear patch of grass about 20 feet across. If you want it compared spec by spec against other designs, see the 2026 ranking.
This is something you play with your dog, not a toy you leave lying around. Put it away after every session, cause a dog left alone with any flirt pole is gonna chew it.
Quick answers
Which Whimsy Stick should I get for my dog?
Under 30 lbs, the Standard. At 30 lbs and up, or a hard player at any size, the Rugged XL. Right at 30 lbs is still the Rugged XL.
What’s the difference between the Standard and the Rugged XL?
The Standard is the lighter pole, about 4 oz, with a smaller lure and a Kevlar line rated at 450 lbs. The Rugged XL is a one-piece 46-inch reinforced fiberglass rod with a Dyneema line rated at 800 lbs, and I built that one for big dogs that grab and shake. In my own use it holds up to a 120-lb power breed.
Do I need extra lures?
If you’re gonna play most days with a dog that bites hard, yes. The lure is what wears out, that’s why the Rugged XL comes in kits with 3 or 5 of them. One replacement lure is $12.95.
Can one flirt pole work for two dogs?
Yes, if both dogs are in the same size range, just run them one at a time. But if one is under 30 lbs and the other one is way over, get each dog its own size.
Is there a guarantee?
Yes. Buy direct and you get a 30-day money-back guarantee, and you cover the return shipping unless the pole failed. Lures and line are wear parts, so those are sold separately.
Not sure? Go up a size.
You’ve got 30 days to try it. If it isn’t working for your dog, email me for a refund, and you cover the return shipping unless the pole failed. I’m a one-man company and I want you happy with it, so I’ll work with you.
Get the Pro Kit, $129.95Smaller dog? See the Standard, $55.95
Based on my own experience training dogs. Not veterinary advice. Exercise disclaimer.
