Gundogs and Toys

5 hot toy topics

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Common myths and sensible advice for Gundog play

I had a client question come up recently and I thought it would be helpful to them but also to others to dive into the topic of gundogs and toys a little.

I also saw a recent Facebook conversation surrounding toys for gundogs, in which the issue of squeakers and tugs was discussed. I wanted to address some common myths here!

If you want to learn more about this fun subject, read on…

Hot Topic 1 – Should I throw tennis balls/balls for my gundog?​

 Whilst there are lots of things to consider about ball play, there are 3 important main issues to consider here:

1) Size of the ball, many dogs have ended up with an undersized ball stuck in their throat. With the limited amount of sizes produced on the market, it is easy to accidentally purchase an undersized ball so ensure yours is correct. 

2) The abrasive material found on tennis balls can wear down teeth over time, consider what type of ball you use for ball play.

3) When playing ball with dogs many owners do the popular “throw ball, dog runs out to the ball, the dog picks up the ball, the dog brings the ball back” but the huge problem with this type of play is that when dogs reach the thrown ball they stop abruptly putting lots of pressure through joints and this can cause actual damage to joints. Ball throwing is especially bad for puppies and young dogs who have not finished growing as their growth plates are not yet fully formed, growth plates are cartilage that will mature into bone cells, ossifying and fusing. 

For puppys and young dogs don’t engage with repetitive ball throwing and for mature dogs limit ball throwing and hide balls for them to hunt out and find instead!

Hot Topic 2 – Should I let my gundog play tug? ​

Absolutely, if it’s a rewarding game to them then enjoy a game of tug with them!

Gundogs are highly intelligent beings, they know the difference between work and play. If they are soft/gentle mouthed that won’t change from a game of tug! Too many people who work their dogs still believe in the myth that tugging can create a hard-mouthed dog when actually tugging teaches them so much about their mouths and teeth.

When playing tug it should be a fun game with lots of energy invested in it but this MUST be balanced out with black-and-white rules regarding teeth accidentally catching you when over-excitement kicks in. Any game should end if your dog becomes so excited that they are no longer being careful when they play.

Tug has a hidden bonus too, it can be used to teach a fantastic instant ‘out/dead/release’ cue, the cherry on top is that this cue is taught whilst they are actively over-excited and engaged in play so something they learn they can achieve even when their energy is high rather than the very calm cue I see so many teach that the dog then can’t repeat whilst excited!

Hot Topic 3 – Should I allow my dog to have squeaky toys?​

The main fear I hear people express regarding squeaky toys and gundogs is that a working dog might start thinking that making things squeak is rewarding and transfer this to shot game it is retrieving/carrying.

Once again this is a huge underestimation of our working gundogs. They are not daft they are highly intelligent! Having a great time with a squeaky toy is not going to cause issues holding or carrying the game.

How your dog is taught to handle itself when working and how your dog is taught to play with toys is and should be two entirely different interactions.

The only reason you may not want your dog to play with squeaky toys is the noise they make that can be annoying to us humans! 

Relax and let your dogs enjoy toys.

Hot Topic 4 – Should I let my gundog play with their dummy?​

More complicated question and the answer is…
Yes & No!

It depends on your Puppy/Gundog and the stage they are at in their learning.

I would encourage some play with puppies or an older gundog new to retrieving and uninterested in their dummy.  However, it would be limited to gaining their interest, putting fun and engagement into the dummy before switching out any play with the dummy as you will not want to build that into a long-term habit.

If you are unsure, the answer is definitely no, until you seek professional guidance.

Waiting for help will mean that you will prevent yourself from possibly causing issues that you don’t need to be causing when there might be other options open to you first that could still encourage dummy interest and pick-ups.

Beyond the above the answer to playing with dummies will always be a no from me, there are plenty of toys out there you can engage your gundog with for pure play.

Faith returning with ball

Hot Topic 5 – What toys should you choose for your gundog?​

This is more general questions but some things to consider are:

  1. How old are they?
    Puppies are exploring the world and doing a lot of that with their mouths, they are teething at different stages and their mouth is uncomfortable. Given these considerations, it’s wise not to allow them toys they can easily destroy or ones that can make mouths and gums even more sore. Ensure the size of toys is always appropriate, watch out that as they grow you remember to take away and replace their smaller puppy toys for larger &/or more robust ones. For youngsters find toys that allow for exploration of different sounds and textures such as crinkled-filled ones but ensure you supervise them so they don’t eat what they might find inside. There is more below in bullet point 2. on older dogs so read on for more age-related advice.
  2. What is their health like?
    Older dogs or dogs in ill health can have other toy considerations, for instance, if joints hurt then tugging won’t be a good way to play with them as that will just make them more uncomfortable. Be honest with yourself and as your dog ages or perhaps if they have an illness that progresses then consider changing how you play with them. I have a 10-year-old Longhaired Weimaraner girl called Faith and as she is aging she is having issues that prevent me from playing with her with her favourite reward in the ways we would have played in the past. We have to ensure we do what is best for them even when they don’t think it’s best!
  3. Are they strong chewers/destructive?
    Some dogs destroy things to find out what is inside, some because they are just super strong chewers, I had a friend whose young puppy chomped straight through a black version of a well-known strong dog feeding toy so don’t think just because they are young they won’t destroy things. If you have a dog like this then heavily supervise sessions with toys to prevent accidents but personally, I’d consider toys where they interact with you such as tugs or flirt poles etc so you can lead the way in the game.
  4. Are you trying to motivate them with the toy? or calm them down? If you have an over-excited dog then it does not mean that exciting toys are totally off the menu but it will mean that you consider where and when it is appropriate to give them. I have one girl who I wouldn’t give an exciting noisy toy to before I leave her because she will then be too high in her energy to comfortably switch off and settle. I have another girl who I can highly motivate and then leave because she manages to control her energy and emotions really well without any input from me. Alternatively, if you have a dog that is so calm they are practically horizontal then you might want to invest in the fluffy, squeaky, busy toys to motivate them when you play.
  5. What do you want your dog to learn? Dogs are learning all the time, toys teach, so choose and play wisely! My go-to toy for teaching a dog to release things fast is tug, provided the dog loves to tug of course. For dogs that don’t love a game of tug, they can be taught to enjoy the game by investing food rewards in good tugs. Learning through play is actually known to help learning happen faster so why wouldn’t we use these opportunities for better lives with our gundogs?

Final thoughts​

Get to know your dog, and work out what really works for them, no two dogs are the same.

I highly recommend the Tug-E-Nuff toys for the way they really last (when played with under supervision not left with the dog) and the customer service. However, I can’t recommend which toy without knowing your dog!

Remember: Ensure toy play is super fun but not without boundaries or rules, they are as important as the play itself.

Content Disclaimer

The information contained above is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this article is not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this article. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this article. Nina Fotara T/as Confident Canine disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this article.

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