# capone and his spring pole



## Rvent (Apr 15, 2012)

[video]http://s381.photobucket.com/user/cancer7865/media/IMG_0399_zps890fee1b.mp4.html[/video] 

I forgot to get my camera, so he had been on it for a few and was starting to get tired by the time I got it, when he first starts his shaking is much more violent. I finally had to break his concentration with an air horn... LOL



IMG_0400_zpsc4195406.mp4 Video by cancer7865 | Photobucket 

The end result a tired dog.....:smile:


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## GoingPostal (Sep 5, 2011)

It's kind of hilarious to me how they act like killing and jerking that toy around is a real important mission, they get so focused. It's rainy and icky today so Nero didn't get to play on his. All the dogs are bored and antsy but except for Ripples think they melt in water.


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

You may have to work on a drop cue. Air horns and yanking leashes are not methods I'd recommend.


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## Rvent (Apr 15, 2012)

lauren43 said:


> You may have to work on a drop cue. Air horns and yanking leashes are not methods I'd recommend.


He was super focused, he did not respond to any command, He knows leave it, but I could not get him to listen. The air horn and a tug worked, once he was off of it I had know problem with him leaving it. I have not decided yet whether it stays or comes down.

How would you suggest teaching him to listen when I say leave it, or all done, when he is so super focused? He usually listens to all his commands, even when it comes to going after a chipmunk.

He is still a work in progress, he has only lived with me for 4 months.


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

I don't know where you're having difficulty with leaving it up or taking it down, it's good exercise, it's great mental stimulation, it's easier on yourself as you say he's got too much energy... I see no downsides to it whatsoever, unless you're truly worried that much about what your neighbors will think about a DOG snorting, and huffing and puffing while playing tug of war with himself. If my dog wanted to play with the spring pole I made for him I would let him at it as long as he desired I wouldn't think twice about having a dog driven by that stimulation. Work with leave it commands, since this is very high value to him, you will have to train him more with leave it. I know they fixate, but it's you're job to help him snap out of it, I think going postal said she practiced use of a breakstick with this, it's never a bad thing to know how to use owning bully breeds, once he lets go of the toy, refocus him to you, and have him leave it. It will take a lot of work, but it looks like he's having a blast.


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## Rvent (Apr 15, 2012)

Tobi said:


> I don't know where you're having difficulty with leaving it up or taking it down, it's good exercise, it's great mental stimulation, it's easier on yourself as you say he's got too much energy... I see no downsides to it whatsoever, unless you're truly worried that much about what your neighbors will think about a DOG snorting, and huffing and puffing while playing tug of war with himself. If my dog wanted to play with the spring pole I made for him I would let him at it as long as he desired I wouldn't think twice about having a dog driven by that stimulation. Work with leave it commands, since this is very high value to him, you will have to train him more with leave it. I know they fixate, but it's you're job to help him snap out of it, I think going postal said she practiced use of a breakstick with this, it's never a bad thing to know how to use owning bully breeds, once he lets go of the toy, refocus him to you, and have him leave it. It will take a lot of work, but it looks like he's having a blast.



I don't really care what the neighbors think, however I do care about the Bully Breed reputation, they are already perceived by society as vicious killers, him tugging on a rope growling, shaking and foaming with delight at the art of killing it is not good for public opinion, or my husbands for that matter. The video did not capture him in the beginning, when he was in a shaking frenzy. He does love it, and it does make him really tired. 

unfortunately I know how to use a break stick all to well, I have 2 females who hate each other, and I have had to use it to get them apart on a few occasions.

Any suggestions on how to get him to leave it once he is on it so fixated and ignoring my command?
How long is too long for them to be on it, shaking so hard? I do worry about him hurting himself, over protective fur mom. I can't help it, he looks like he is going to have a heart attack.


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

Where do you guys get these heavy duty springs from?


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

I don't think there is a too long. Working on getting him tuggin then offering high value food is a good way to develop a solid drop.


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

I think the people that give the breed a bad name are just ignorant types... Those that truly believe Raw meat will cause a dog to turn on you, those that think a treadmill is for fighting dogs, same with spring poles and flirts, like Lauren said, good food... Something he values above everything else. I've never heard of a time limit for them... I know of dogs that will go at them till they are exhausted, go drink some water and get back at it...

Don't forget, this is like a kid with a brand new toy, eventually it may become less of a treat, so he may be less psychotic about it. I'd let him have his fun as long as he wants. Maybe pull him off every 1/2 hour or so for a little water and see how he's doing.

Lauren I got mine from Home Depot, I used a garage door spring.


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## Rvent (Apr 15, 2012)

lauren43 said:


> Where do you guys get these heavy duty springs from?


home depot, garage door spring.


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## Rvent (Apr 15, 2012)

lauren43 said:


> I don't think there is a too long. Working on getting him tuggin then offering high value food is a good way to develop a solid drop.


I tried the treats I just made, that he loves..... apparently he loves the spring pole more..... LOL

I will keep at it, like Tobi said maybe because it is new, his whole life is new, I am not sure what is was like before he was at my daughters, where he did not get a lot of exercise or proper training.


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

When I say high value I mean get out there with a raw chunk of steak LOL


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## Celt (Dec 27, 2010)

Try practicing drop/leave it by interrupting his play more often before he becomes super focused (might need the tug or whatever the first couple of times), then either call him to you and ask fora sit/down or any other command he's really good at then release him to go back and play. Do this a few time then give him a command for him to go "hogwild" on the toy. I find that by interrrupting the play frequently helps to get a pup to realize that they have to listen but that they will get to go back to the fun stuff most of the time and giving his "wild time" a command allows you to let him just have a blast until he tires himself out. Then, after a bit, just before he quits on his own start asking for him to come to you, then let him go finish his game.


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

Here's Averys' sad attempt with the spring pole. Found some old nasty springs a my parents then rigged it up with his favorite tug.

IMG_1234_zpsa6ac9e2c.mp4 Video by liltk43 | Photobucket


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## Rvent (Apr 15, 2012)

lauren43 said:


> Here's Averys' sad attempt with the spring pole. Found some old nasty springs a my parents then rigged it up with his favorite tug.
> 
> IMG_1234_zpsa6ac9e2c.mp4 Video by liltk43 | Photobucket


I like his technique better than Capone's, the mellow approach instead of the crazed lunatic.

So I have notice when ever we play, if I say ouch he immediately stops, I tested this with a tug a war rope I was holding, if I said ouch/ouwa (not sure proper spelling) he immediately let go, as soon as he did I gave him a treat.

I am not sure if it matters what word I use, but I remember when I had problems with Babs and the word lay down (she was scared and would go hide) Dr. Dodman the behavioral dr. told me to find another word as long as she understood it, it didn't matter, sure enough it worked and now 8 years later I can say lay down with no problem.

So do you think it matters as long as the end result is a release?


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

I don't think it matters at all, they are just conditioned to a sound, it's not like we are teaching them english... So far... Sigh, my mother has taught her poor confused jrt all her commands over in Spanish as well, it took well over a year but it was doable. So just getting a release from a specific word or sound is fine IMO.

And Lauren, I thought that was a good attempt... Tobi hasn't touched the thing since I posted pictures that night I made it over a year ago...


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

Yea the word doesn't matter at all. You could say "run" and have it mean sit. They learn by associations. They don't actually know what you are saying.


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## Rvent (Apr 15, 2012)

lauren43 said:


> Yea the word doesn't matter at all. You could say "run" and have it mean sit. They learn by associations. They don't actually know what you are saying.


All this time I thought Babs was a really smart Pit Bull because I had to spell everything, oh well.


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## GoingPostal (Sep 5, 2011)

Avery was kind of into it! 

Like Tobi said he will settle down once it's not such a new toy and be better about dropping it, Nero still loves playing on it but is not nearly as crazy as he used to be about it. I also do the thing celt suggested and make him drop it and let him go back to play once he does so it's not always drop it=fun over. Speaking of the myths I have a new coworker and when she found out I had pit bulls and fed them raw that was the first question-aren't they going to taste blood and eat people. Amazing what some people believe. Oh and was Jersey used for fighting since her ears are cropped.


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## Rvent (Apr 15, 2012)

GoingPostal said:


> Avery was kind of into it!
> 
> Like Tobi said he will settle down once it's not such a new toy and be better about dropping it, Nero still loves playing on it but is not nearly as crazy as he used to be about it. I also do the thing celt suggested and make him drop it and let him go back to play once he does so it's not always drop it=fun over. Speaking of the myths I have a new coworker and when she found out I had pit bulls and fed them raw that was the first question-aren't they going to taste blood and eat people. Amazing what some people believe. Oh and was Jersey used for fighting since her ears are cropped.


gotta love the ignorance that the media hype creates, I have a client that no matter what I say she thinks Pit Bulls are dangerous and she has never ever even met one. My Mother in law still says she does not like Pit bulls and she has met all of mine before (except Capone) she met Max, they have never been given her a reason, you just can't fix stupid.


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

So I switched out the baby springs with the garage door spring and what a difference. Now what is the recommended tug? I tried fleece tugs and Avery took right to them, but they split and it looked like they could wrap and get stuck around a k9...I don't want him accidentally ripping out a tooth.

I see rvent uses a rope toy, is that better?


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## NutroGeoff (May 15, 2013)

Baxter would love that. I'm going to have to look into making one of those for him.


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## Rvent (Apr 15, 2012)

lauren43 said:


> So I switched out the baby springs with the garage door spring and what a difference. Now what is the recommended tug? I tried fleece tugs and Avery took right to them, but they split and it looked like they could wrap and get stuck around a k9...I don't want him accidentally ripping out a tooth.
> 
> I see rvent uses a rope toy, is that better?


I don't know if its better, but they are made for tug a war, so I got a big one at tractor supply. He has not been on it since my last post, when I was teaching him to leave it better with tug a war in the house, he must of tugged to hard or something because that next day when you touched his mouth he yelped......he is such a big baby, love that boy.


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## Rvent (Apr 15, 2012)

NutroGeoff said:


> Baxter would love that. I'm going to have to look into making one of those for him.


I used this as a how to reference, I used 1 garage door spring though

How to make a spring pole for your Pitbull. - YouTube


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

lauren43 said:


> So I switched out the baby springs with the garage door spring and what a difference. Now what is the recommended tug? I tried fleece tugs and Avery took right to them, but they split and it looked like they could wrap and get stuck around a k9...I don't want him accidentally ripping out a tooth.
> 
> I see rvent uses a rope toy, is that better?


Burlap is great.


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## Herzo (Feb 5, 2011)

Is he still trying to kill it? It looked like he had a great time of it.


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## Rvent (Apr 15, 2012)

Herzo said:


> Is he still trying to kill it? It looked like he had a great time of it.


I haven't had him on it since that day, he hurt his mouth when I was practicing with him on his release...... and I have had a crazy week, he has played with his flirt pole and chuck it instead.

Although yesterday I think while in the fenced in area he realized it was there and he could not get to it, he did a lot of squealing and yipping.. big baby!


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