# How to play with a lunge whip?



## Katja (Mar 9, 2012)

In the ongoing quest to find more ways to tire out my dog, I got a lunge whip. I tied a squeaky furry item to the end of it.

Keke immediately went berserk for the toy, and for a few minutes we had very successful play with me teasing him by dragging the toy, then swinging the toy over his head, and so on.

But he's too smart for me. Now he grabs the toy at the end and turns it into a game of tug, and it's really hard for me to hold on to the grip; or he focuses on the stick part of the whip instead, and is lunging at the part I'm holding instead of the nifty critter at the end.

Any advice? Longer lash (this one is about 4 feet)? Keep in mind that I cannot stand up in order to get more distance from him.


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

Does he know the command "drop it"? I used to play with Riley using a lunge whip and whenever she caught it I would let her chew for a moment and then tell her to drop it. If she ever went for the plastic handle (they are too smart!) I would immediately stop playing and tell her to drop it. After a while, she learned that the stick was off limits.


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## Lindsey1420 (Jan 28, 2012)

Whats a lunge whip? When I type it in the search it comes up with the whips they use on horses.


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

A lunge whip is used for working a horse on a lunge line. Trainer stands in the middle of a circle (usually 15 meters in diameter) and you attach the lunge line to the horse's bridle. The trainer then uses the lunge whip and voice commands to encourage the horse forward around the trainer. There should be be no need to whip the horse, the whip just encorages the horse to stay out at the end of the lunge line.

Katja,most lunge whips are alot longer than 4'. The handle part that is quite flexible and bendy is about 4 - 5' but on the end of that is a further 6 - 7' on nylon braid which is limp and very flicky. You can extend that by attaching more braid or something similar to that. Katja that would give you quite a range, but agree with threefsh it would make it easier for you if he learnt the drop command.


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## Katja (Mar 9, 2012)

Thanks, everyone. He does know 'drop it', and I'll invest the time to let him know he can only play with the toy at the end.


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## Katja (Mar 9, 2012)

Followup: we had a good play session today, with Keke catching on very quickly that he was only allowed to take the toy in his mouth. Thanks for the push in the right direction.


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