long distance retriever play...

tod osier

tod osier

Well-known member
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I hesitate to ask a dog question because that always brings "experts" out of the woodwork. If you haven't posted here in the past 6 months, I don't want a response from you. :)

Beaver needs to run beyond daily training and I'd love to have a way to really whip something out there for him.

We have a Chuckit! and that is basically fine for what I want, but I don't like the fact that he likes to chomp/chew on tennis balls. It seems like bad practice to run the dog with something he likes to chew on during the retrieve. Have a retrieve-r-trainer, but that is loud and annoying for the neighbors, but the dogs love it.

Suggestions of something that can chuck a hard ball (or a bumper?) a long ways?

It is raining today, so I'm home on the computer (wuss I know, but not only is it raining, it is 40F and calm and foggy).
 
To chuck a bumper with a rope, use a hockey stick with a notch cut in the end to hold the rope. Think atlatl. Miles and miles.
 
SJ Fairbank said:
To chuck a bumper with a rope, use a hockey stick with a notch cut in the end to hold the rope. Think atlatl. Miles and miles.
Click to expand...

That would be sweet, perfect actually.
 
SJ Fairbank said:
To chuck a bumper with a rope, use a hockey stick with a notch cut in the end to hold the rope. Think atlatl. Miles and miles.
Click to expand...

I just made one up and the first prototype used a 1x1 piece of oak 5' long with a notch, but you also need a hook in the profile to keep the knot on through the range of the swing. I can get an easy 10-15 yards further than a normal thrown bumper and I know that there is some energy transfer that I'm not using either due to technique or design. I can now throw the bumper nearly as far, if not the same distance, as a tennis ball in a chuckit!
 
do I qualify to answer? [cool]

I grew up with a lacrosse stick in my hand and played in high school and college. Every dog I have ever had has had a 15 minute session in the morning to blow off steam. Lacrosse balls are hard rubber and withstand dog teeth exceptionally well. I can toss a ball about 75 yards which is 50 yards further than I can throw a dummy. You can do marking practice with it or just have them run after each throw. In my experience they love it puppies to well into their senior years they will beg to go play fetch.

I also used the lacrosse stick to throw outfielder practice when my boys played little league.
 
Brad Bortner said:
do I qualify to answer? [cool]

I grew up with a lacrosse stick in my hand and played in high school and college. Every dog I have ever had has had a 15 minute session in the morning to blow off steam. Lacrosse balls are hard rubber and withstand dog teeth exceptionally well. I can toss a ball about 75 yards which is 50 yards further than I can throw a dummy. You can do marking practice with it or just have them run after each throw. In my experience they love it puppies to well into their senior years they will beg to go play fetch.

I also used the lacrosse stick to throw outfielder practice when my boys played little league.
Click to expand...

You barely meet my posting threshold. ;)

So, I've done some measuring... I can chuck a standard (jumbo) dummy 38 yards, the thrower stick gets me some more distance, but not over 45 yards (I think progress can be made there, plus I haven't tried a smaller dummy). If a lacrosse stick can chuck a ball 75 yards, I'd be all over that.

Would you recommend a standard stick, not goalie for max distance? Does quality/brand matter for this use?
 
Tod,

You are over thinking this. You got a dog, you got a kid,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, let the kid run the bumper out and let the dog run the bumper back in. [w00t] [w00t] [w00t]
 
A goalie stick isn?t going to help you throw further. Train your dog to drop them in your stick. You should be able to find lacrosse sticks in any sporting good store in Connecticut. An attack or midfielder stick would be fine. You don?t need anything fancy.
 
Brad Bortner said:
A goalie stick isn?t going to help you throw further. Train your dog to drop them in your stick. You should be able to find lacrosse sticks in any sporting good store in Connecticut. An attack or midfielder stick would be fine. You don?t need anything fancy.
Click to expand...

Perfect, Thanks!
 
Huntindave McCann said:
Tod,

You are over thinking this. You got a dog, you got a kid,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, let the kid run the bumper out and let the dog run the bumper back in. [w00t] [w00t] [w00t]
Click to expand...

Sounds great, he can clean his room and oil the guns after, right?!?!?
 
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