How to Introduce a Flirt Pole.
How do you introduce a flirt pole to a dog? Spread 5 short sessions over 1 to 2 weeks. The first is just 2 or 3 minutes of letting your dog check it out, no chasing. The second is slow drags with lots of catches. Sessions 3 through 5 build up to a full 10-minute session. That way your dog doesn’t overdo it and learns to like the thing, and after session 5 you can go to your regular routine.
The ramp at a glance: 5 sessions, about half an hour of play all together, with a day or two of rest between. End every one while your dog still wants more.
By Christopher Lee Moran, working dog trainer, about 10 years and around 400 client dogs. I designed the Whimsy Stick, so I’m not neutral about flirt poles. New to the tool? See what a flirt pole is.
Who this is for
- Anyone who just got a flirt pole and isn’t sure how to start
- People whose first session went bad: the dog ignored it, got way too wound up, or was sore after
- People with shy or scared dogs that need to go slower
- People with high-drive dogs worried they’ll go nuts on day one
- Trainers showing it to a client’s dog for the first time
The most common mistake I’d warn you about is pulling it out of the box and going for 10 minutes straight. A lot of times you end up with a sore, wound-up dog that isn’t so sure about the thing anymore.
Before you start: the checklist
A lot of problems getting started come from skipping the setup, and a few minutes now beats trying to undo a bad first impression later.
- Check the age. Grown dogs can do the regular ramp. Under 6 months, a still lure only, no chasing. From 6 to 12 months, take it a lot easier with short, slow drags, and ask your vet about growth plates before full sessions.
- Pick the surface. Grass is best and dirt is fine. Stay off concrete, asphalt and slick tile. Your dog is also learning where this game happens, so pick the spot you’ll keep using.
- Pick a fenced space. In an open yard your dog might take off after a missed catch, and you don’t want to be chasing your dog through the neighborhood on day one.
- Have good treats ready. Cheese, chicken or freeze-dried liver, something your dog doesn’t usually get.
- Check the gear. Make sure the lure is on good and the line isn’t frayed.
- Pick a calm time. Not right after a long walk, and not right after company leaves when they’re already amped up.
- Plan the cooldown. Have a chew, a snuffle mat or a settle spot ready for after.
Talk to your vet first if your dog has joint problems or is really reactive. The flirt pole safety guide covers the rest.
The 5-session ramp, step by step
Do the sessions a day or two apart and don’t rush it. Your dog needs time in between to get used to it and to rest up from something new.
Session 1: the first sniff, 2 to 3 minutes
Lay the pole on the ground where you’re gonna play and let your dog come check it out. Don’t move it and don’t expect anything. You can walk around slow with it dragging behind you if that gets their attention, just keep it on the ground and easy. Reward calm checking-out with good treats: sniffing the lure, pawing at it, looking at you all relaxed. If your dog ignores it completely, that’s fine. Stop at 3 minutes either way. Good looks like: your dog walks up to it on their own, sniffs it, and stays loose.
Session 2: the slow drag, 3 to 5 minutes
Drag the lure slow along the ground in a straight line, about 6 to 8 feet, like something sneaking away, not something running for its life. A lot of dogs get interested quicker in slow movement than fast. Let your dog catch it within a few seconds, praise them, and let them hang on to it a bit before you go again. Do that 3 to 5 times and stop while they still want more. Good looks like: watching the lure right away and catching it at least 3 times.
Low and on the ground. A red retriever chasing a fox lure across the grass in a backyard. Keep it this low through the whole ramp.
Flirt pole training guideSession 3: real patterns, 5 to 6 minutes
This is the first session that looks like a real flirt pole session. Move the lure so your dog can’t guess where it’s going, with straight runs, easy arcs and a pause here and there, and let them catch it often. Watch the body language the whole time. Tail up and focused is good. Frantic, jumping, or grabbing at the pole instead of the lure means they’re too wound up, so slow down right away and let them catch it more. End on a catch, not a miss.
Session 4: direction changes, 7 to 8 minutes
Go up to 7 or 8 minutes and start some easy changes of direction, left, then right, then forward. Smooth turns, not sharp cuts yet. Start the release cue too: when your dog catches the lure, say “out” or “drop” and trade a good treat for it, then start the chase right back up, so letting go means more fun. Good looks like: smooth turns, letting go about half the time or better, and no soreness the next day.
Session 5: the full session, 10 minutes
The full standard session for the first time: 10 minutes, with catches every so often, full speed, direction changes and some sharper turns. If it goes well, your dog is introduced, and from session 6 on you can do your regular routine. If it went badly, with a dog too wound up, sore or not playing, go back to session 4 for another 2 or 3 sessions and try again.
When your dog is officially introduced
You’re looking for five things at the end of session 5. If one is missing, do another session or two like session 4 first.
- Right on it. The pole comes out and your dog is on it right away.
- Steady catches. Over 10 minutes your dog catches the lure a lot, cause they’ve figured out how to follow it and cut it off.
- A reliable release. When you ask for the drop, your dog lets go most of the time.
- A quick recovery. The panting slows and your dog settles within 15 or 20 minutes after.
- No soreness. The next morning your dog is moving normal and still wants to play.
After that, most adult dogs do about 10-minute sessions from session 6 on. How often is in how often should I use a flirt pole, and if you’ve got a high-drive dog, see the high-energy dog guide and flirt pole for overexcited dogs.
Common problems and how to fix them
If it isn’t going smooth, it’s a lot of times one of these six. Try the fix for 2 or 3 sessions before you decide it’s not for your dog.
My dog ignores the lure completely
The lure is probably moving wrong. Drag it slow along the ground like something sneaking away, and don’t wave it in the air or jerk it around. If slow drags still don’t get anything after 3 sessions, try a different lure, cause some dogs are picky.
My dog gets too excited and grabs at me
Take it way down: slower, longer pauses, easier catches, and the lure always on the ground. Stop and ask for a sit before you start again, so your dog learns calm comes first and then the chase.
My dog is afraid of the pole
Don’t move it at all. Lay it flat on the floor in a room your dog knows and feed dinner around it for 2 or 3 days, and let them come to it when they’re ready. Once they’re OK with it sitting there, take it outside for session 1, still not moving. Never push a scared dog at a moving lure.
My dog is sore the next day
Too much too soon. Go back a session, play on softer grass, and let them catch it more often with shorter runs in between. If your dog is limping or the soreness doesn’t clear up in a day or two, call your vet.
My dog catches and won’t let go
That’s normal early on. Show the treat, say your word, and give it the second the lure drops, then start the chase right back up. If yours is stubborn, work on letting go with a regular tug toy first. The full progression is in impulse control drills.
My dog quits halfway through
Either the session is too long for them right now, so go back a session, or they aren’t catching it enough and got frustrated. Slow the lure down and let them win more. A dog that feels like it can’t win quits.
What will derail the introduction
- Skipping rest days. Back-to-back days early on is how you end up with the soreness and the wound-up dog you’re trying to avoid.
- Letting sessions run long cause “the dog wants more.” Pretty much every dog wants more at minute 8. End on time, and a dog that stops while it still wants more is excited to come back.
- Never letting the dog catch the lure. If it’s always out of reach, the game never finishes and you’re just winding your dog up.
- A hard or slippery surface. Your dog is turning hard at speed, and one bad slip can hurt them or make them scared of the game.
- Moving too fast cause the dog looks ready. A high-drive dog looks ready at session 2, but their body still needs time to catch up.
The cooldown. Two dogs settled on the couch in the evening after a session.
Why the catch mattersStart the ramp with the right pole
A flirt pole that breaks in the first session isn’t a great first impression. Under 30 lbs gets the Standard, with a 450-lb Kevlar line. Thirty and up gets the Rugged XL, one 46-inch piece of reinforced fiberglass with an 800-lb Dyneema line that doesn’t stretch. I bought the flirt poles I could find, handed them out to clients and watched what broke, then designed my own and tested it on high-drive client dogs for years before I ever sold one.
Rugged XL + 3 Lures
- Dogs 30 lbs and up · 800-lb Dyneema line
- 3 lures, handy if your dog is picky · free US shipping
Rugged XL
- Same pole and line, 1 lure
- Dogs 30 lbs and up · free US shipping
Rugged XL Pro Kit
- The XL with 5 lures and a spare line
- For dogs that shred lures · free US shipping
The Standard
- Dogs under 30 lbs · 450-lb Kevlar line
- $20 flat US shipping, cause it goes in a longer box
Every order has a 30-day money-back guarantee, and you pay return shipping unless the pole failed. Not sure which to get? See the buying guide.
Want more of this in your Google results? Add Whimsy Stick as a preferred source.
Introducing a flirt pole: FAQ
How do you introduce a flirt pole to a dog?
Spread 5 sessions over 1 to 2 weeks. First your dog just sniffs the pole sitting still. Next come slow drags with quick catches. Then session 3 is the first real chasing, 5 or 6 minutes, session 4 adds direction changes at 7 or 8 minutes, and session 5 is the full 10.
How long should the first flirt pole session be?
Two or three minutes of just checking it out, no chasing. Session 2 is the first chase, 3 to 5 minutes. Going straight to 10 minutes on day one is a really common mistake.
How many days between introduction sessions?
A day or two between the first three, then every other day for 4 and 5. Your dog needs time to rest up from something new, and every day this early can make them sore or too wound up.
What if my dog ignores the flirt pole?
A lot of times the lure is just moving wrong. Drag it slow along the ground like something sneaking away. If your dog still ignores it after 3 sessions, try a different lure. Some dogs just need a few more sessions.
What if my dog is afraid of the flirt pole?
Don’t move it at all. Lay it flat in a room your dog knows and feed dinner around it for 2 or 3 days. Once they’re OK with it sitting still, do session 1 outside. Pushing a scared dog at a moving lure can make them dislike it for a long time.
Should I let my dog catch the lure on the first try?
Yes. Keeping the lure out of reach the whole time is a really common mistake. Let your dog catch it a lot early on so the chase gets its finish.
Can I introduce a flirt pole indoors?
Session 1 is fine inside. For the chasing sessions, grass outside is best. If inside is all you’ve got, keep it to slow, low drags on a mat or rug. See the apartment dog guide.
When can I move to daily flirt pole sessions?
After all 5 sessions, once you see the five signs: on it right away, catching a lot, letting go when you ask, settling within 15 or 20 minutes, and no soreness the next day.
Start the ramp right. Pick the right pole.
Five short sessions over a week or two, and a dog that’s into it from the start. One-piece fiberglass on the XL, a line that doesn’t stretch, and 30 days to try it.
Add the Rugged XL + 3 Lures, $94.95Under 30 lbs? See the Standard, $55.95
Based on my own experience training dogs. Not veterinary or behavioral medical advice. Exercise disclaimer.
