Well decided to try out Charlie's newly arrived rabbit skin tennis ball, threw it Charlie looked at it and nudged it along the ground, had a good long sniff, picked it up very gently and dropped it a few times almost like he didn't like the feel of it : I kept throwing it then he didn't want to give it up but towards the end he got the hang of it and dropped it infront of me a few times, he also enjoyed our game of 'hide the ball' which he loved hunting out. I kept it short and put the ball away. To be honest I am not sure he enjoyed it any more than the funny ball thing I made him myself : Helen x
Re: Rabbit skin tennis ball - interesting!! Hmm...I had been wondering about getting one. Maybe not, then. To be honest, I often walk along a track which is muddy for 80% of the year, and I thought it would get in a state quite quickly. Couldn't envisage me washing and blow-drying it : Still wondering about the pheasant scent.........
Re: Rabbit skin tennis ball - interesting!! It must depend on the dog - my Charlie goes crazy - really mad - for the rabbit skin tennis ball. He won't give it back! And he gives everything back because he wants another throw. We're taking advantage of that and getting him to sit and then drop it in our hands. I have shown incredible restraint and he has only had six "find its" and six "fetches" with it. And we've had it a week! It's the best reward I can give him, better than food (and that's saying something...). I'm now saving it (have hidden it from OH - I found him going through my fleece pockets for it! Hah - saw that one coming...). I'm working up to stop whistle thingy, in my usual random and disorganised way, and so saving the rabbit skin tennis ball for that.
Re: Rabbit skin tennis ball - interesting!! Wet drool soaked rabbit tennis ball drying out - disgusting ;D Julie you are right, I will be saving this ball for rewards as he got very excited when he sniffed it and clearly did not want to give it up to start with, a work in progress I think to build up the desire Jac I think a quick styling with a hairbrush will do ;D Helen xx
Re: Rabbit skin tennis ball - interesting!! It's true - it has the most disgusting slimely feel when dog drool covered! 'Fraid mine got a quick rinse and left to dry in its hiding place (the log store, behind the second log up on the left... shush...)
Re: Rabbit skin tennis ball - interesting!! Rinsed the ball and dried it on the aga, quick fluff up as good as new, not sure it will last very long though. Helen x
Re: Rabbit skin tennis ball - interesting!! Well we are working up a desire to retrieve the rabbit skin ball Sometimes not too keen to let go of it, other times drops it and on occasions Charlie drops it and hunts for it, the whally that he is ;D But we don't care he is KEEN and that's progress here : We are of course using it sparingly. Helen x
Re: Rabbit skin tennis ball - interesting!! The rabbit skin tennis ball has been a BIG hit here... It's Sunday, so he gets 3 fetches and 3 find its with the rabbit skin tennis ball. Here he is running to find it, ears flying: fetch rabbit skin! #2 by JulieTandCharlie, on Flickr He found it in the very tall grass - he'll look for it for ages even if it's difficult (well, long grass difficult, he is still a bit of a baby) - never fails to find it without help... rabbit skin tennis ball #1 by JulieTandCharlie, on Flickr When the rabbit skin ball went back in the bag, he insisted we played find it with his football! fetch football by JulieTandCharlie, on Flickr
Re: Rabbit skin tennis ball - interesting!! Where do you find such a thing? Online? Pet stores? Sounds like it might be fun for my pooch too
Re: Rabbit skin tennis ball - interesting!! I ordered mine online - just type rabbit skin ball gundog into google, there are loads of companies that sell them. It's really useful, just have to save it up for specials but I know I can distract him from just about anything if my hand even goes near the pocket holding the rabbit skin tennis ball. Great stuff.
Re: Rabbit skin tennis ball - interesting!! Julie, lovely photo's as always. Definitely working here with Charlie who doesn't really show much interest in retrieving. Using sparingly though and I have my 1/2 lb rabbit skin dummy in the cupboard for when we have that desire at fever pitch ;D Well worth buying Lisa. Helen x Julie, what kind of harness is that on Charlie please? x
Re: Rabbit skin tennis ball - interesting!! Helen - it's a walkeez fleece lined harness that I ordered from a Canadian company - clean run. Easy to find by google. I'm very happy with it, all the straps are in fleece and it can't pinch anywhere, plus the V shaped front, and low back D ring with the girth far back means everything clears his front legs. I've been searching for it in the UK, and think I've found something similar with both a back and front fastening froma company called the dogs game shop - by the look of it, this company seems to claim they make the original version. It's not called walkeez in the UK, so just google the company and fleece lined harness.
Re: Rabbit skin tennis ball - interesting!! Hmm looked around online - looks like I can only get them in the UK. Just wondering - do your dogs chew the skin off?? How sturdy are they? If I'm going to order from the UK I'm thinking I should get more than one, but want to know how quickly they deteriorate.
Re: Rabbit skin tennis ball - interesting!! Charlie doesn't chew the skin off but I don't think their all that sturdy, but only used very sparingly to up the desire to retrieve, we have normal tennis balls for everyday. Is Simba interested in retrieving? Helen x
Re: Rabbit skin tennis ball - interesting!! Same as Helen - they look like rabbit skin jut glued onto a tennis ball. Charlie isn't allowed it to chew, just fetch and find and return. I saw one on eBay for £3 which I thought was good.
Re: Rabbit skin tennis ball - interesting!! Simba definitely NOT interested in retrieving...fetch is a complete mystery to him so far. :But I would like to be able to play fetch with him and thought this might up the interest factor.....
Re: Rabbit skin tennis ball - interesting!! Definitely upped the interest for Charlie. Worth a go I'd say. Helen x
Re: Rabbit skin tennis ball - interesting!! Hi Lisa i don't let riley chew dummies at all so the rabbit skin doesn't get chewed off. Our dummies are for retrieving and that means delivering it back to me. He has other things to chew if he wants to. They get a bit yucky when they're wet tho Hope that helps!
Re: Rabbit skin tennis ball - interesting!! Yes....I'm going to have to work on the "give" before I would ever use these.... :
