# Obsessed with Sticks!



## OttosMama (Oct 27, 2011)

Our little Otto is IN LOVE with sticks! He actually loves having anything in his mouth, but out on walks, there is usually an abundance of sticks! It's never a problem when we are alone with him - but when there are other dogs/puppies around it is so nerve racking!! Especially since he always seems to entice the other dog to chase him! 

The first five pictures are today! Does anybody else have a V that does this???


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## RubyRoo (Feb 1, 2011)

Ruby is exactly the same way with sticks. She has to have a stick in her mouth at all times and entices the other dogs to chase her at the dog park. She does this at home as well. When she wants to play she frantically looks for a toy to keep in her mouth.


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

Riley is OBSESSED with sticks. She likes to hold them by the end with the stick coming straight out of her mouth... and then she runs! My mom is convinced she's going to skewer herself one day. :


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## OttosMama (Oct 27, 2011)

Rubyroo- Otto does the same with his toys only it's early in the morning or when we let him out of the crate. He will wiggle his way out, wiggle his way back in, grab a toy (or bone if he can grab it before one of us does!) and wiggle all over the place! When he is done he drops it right on the wood floors or tile! Wasn't a problem but now that someone lives below us I have to follow him all around a grab it when it before it drops! 

Threefsh- I'm with your mom! When Otto does that I usually find myself holding my breath lol. I'm kind of a worry wart when it comes to him! 

Does Ruby or Riley run FULL SPEED with the stick? Have they ever hit another dog with one while playing?


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

OttosMama said:


> Does Ruby or Riley run FULL SPEED with the stick? Have they ever hit another dog with one while playing?


Yes and no, not another dog, but she HAS almost taken MY legs out from underneath me with a large stick... haha! Her favorite game with the stick is keep-away. She loves playing this with her sister Penny and they take turns running 100mph with sticks. Of course, they slow down every once in a while just to let the other pup get closer and taunt them with the stick, then they're off again like a shot!


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

I know I posted this about a year ago, but just wanted to caution everyone again about the dangers of sticks.

A good friend of mine had a nice, smart Bordie Collie named Plato. This guy also lived on a lake ( there are a lot of lakes around here), and one of Plato's favorite games was to fetch a stick thrown for him into the lake. Well, one fateful afternoon, Plato swam back with his stick, and while running up onto the land, he rammed the stick down his throat. It tore his esophagus badly. The emergency Vet attempted to repair the injury surgically, and it was touch-and-go for a while. The repair would not hold and Plato died a couple of days later. Naturally, my friend was devastated, as we all were. Now, I never let Willie play with sticks. When he finds one, I take it away and give him one of his "outdoor toys" as a substitute. 

Just a word of caution. They really can be deadly! :'(


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## OttosMama (Oct 27, 2011)

Thank you mswhipple! I remember reading that post but I had remembered it as the dog was chewing/eating the stick and it tore its esophagus. Absolutely devestating. I will most definitely keep that in mind. It is somewhat tricky getting a stick back from Otto once he has it, but this will just have to be ONE more thing I will have to train him to do! Carrying a good toy swap (or a few) is probably my best option!


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## born36 (Jun 28, 2011)

Mac loves sticks to so I ordered him this toy. Loves it!!!

http://www.petsathome.com/shop/ruff-and-tuff-stick-it-to-me-83813


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

That looks like a cool toy, born36!

Plato was running with the stick sticking straight out of his mouth. The other end jammed into the ground as he was running up a slight incline. I don't know if you could really consider these to be common circumstances... But like I said before, if it happened once, it could happen again. :'(


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## luv2laugh (Oct 6, 2011)

Wow, Ottosmama, those are huge sticks. Oso finds tiny sticks compared to those. I remember researching it on the general dogsforum when Oso was a puppy and I had read about another dog (not the border collie) who tripped, I believe, and the stick went into his brain (maybe) immediately killing him. It was enough to scare me a LOT! Although those dogs are in the minority, I would guess the huge majority of dogs that run with sticks are fine. 

So, Oso still does it sometimes, but we try to do the toy trade thing. We don't have as many tempting sticks around us. Our store carries floatable dog toys made to throw in the water. they look stick like, but are flexible and shorter. 

It is really sad.   Oso also loves to chew on the sticks. LOVES them!!! I read stuff about splinters and I"m thinking I don't know if the tree is safe to chew. I'm pretty much a huge worry wart. I try to redirect him, but I don't panic every time he starts to chew on a stick.


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## RubyRoo (Feb 1, 2011)

OttosMama said:


> Rubyroo- Otto does the same with his toys only it's early in the morning or when we let him out of the crate. He will wiggle his way out, wiggle his way back in, grab a toy (or bone if he can grab it before one of us does!) and wiggle all over the place! When he is done he drops it right on the wood floors or tile! Wasn't a problem but now that someone lives below us I have to follow him all around a grab it when it before it drops!
> 
> Threefsh- I'm with your mom! When Otto does that I usually find myself holding my breath lol. I'm kind of a worry wart when it comes to him!
> 
> Does Ruby or Riley run FULL SPEED with the stick? Have they ever hit another dog with one while playing?


If a dog is chasing Ruby she will run with a stick but pretty rare she will be running full speed with one. She does it more as an invitation for play. She has never hit another dog with a stick.


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## luv2laugh (Oct 6, 2011)

By the way, I LOVE the photos! That looks like such a great place for them to play!! And those sticks are impressive. I don't even think Oso would have the ability to carry such a big stick!


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## OttosMama (Oct 27, 2011)

Thank you for the suggestions! Born36 that looks like a great alternative. 

Luv2Laugh - Otto loves to be extreme I think. Some sticks he has attempted carrying look like baby trees! Lol. But he is like this with everything. This is a video I took yesterday during our walk.

(my very first youtube!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pd_Wtx_2SiI&feature=channel


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## DougAndKate (Sep 16, 2011)

The bigger the better for Elroy! There's one spot in our park where there are always a bunch of branches down. He starts getting excited when we get close and then he picks out the biggest one. He likes to bounce around with it for a few minutes, and then he lays down and chews it up and spits out the pieces. I'm always worried about him jabbing himself on the roof of his mouth with one so I watch him closely.


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## SerCopper (Nov 1, 2011)

Add Copper to the list...

He will start our walk with a twig and upgrade each time he comes across a larger stick...by the time we get home he is dragging a tree along.


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## Hbomb (Jan 24, 2012)

H's big 'cousin' Bruno's favourite game is running behind us with what looks like a tree trunk. He has taken out two grown men this way before! When we walk with him we always watch out backs...


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