Reddit reviews Chuckit! Ball Launcher Classic Medium (25 inches)
We found 37 Reddit comments about Chuckit! Ball Launcher Classic Medium (25 inches). Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Great for backyard useWith the Chuckit!, you can throw that ball out of the ballpark over and over againLightweight and durable plasticMeasures 26 inches in lengthDesigned for hands-free pickup
The thing that causes this behavior is that he is a working breed dog who is extremely energetic. You basically described almost every lab I have ever trained. His owners need to give him a lot more mental and physical stimulation.
Since he is a lab, a chuck it ball thrower would be a great way to play fetch. A flirt pole is another really great toy for tiring dogs out.
For mental stimulation, mealtimes are a perfect opportunity. Have them get either a Bob-A-Lot or a Kong Wobbler for daily feeding and get rid of his food bowl. I recommend the Bob-A-Lot because you can make it easier or harder. This gives him ~10 extra minutes of brain work every day and you don't have to do anything extra.
Then basic obedience and chew/puzzle toys (kong marathon ball, nobbly nubbly, squirrel dude) will also help.
I was expecting to see one of these in the link there
http://www.amazon.com/Chuckit-Classic-Launcher-Colors-Vary/dp/B00006IX59
no bending over to pick up and throw it much further.
Like a Chuck It! ball launcher?
get one of these, some tennis balls, and get ready to never stop til they drop...
I am super jealous of dog owners who can chuck-it a ball, and their dog sprints after it and brings it back...rinse and repeat. Curse them!
Does your dog like to play fetch? If so this was my saving grace.
I love this! I kind of want a little meter that tells me where I am in life, but then again, maybe not...
My most epic "invention" was a cross between this, this, and this for people with menstrual cramps. (My friend also thought this was a genius idea. I invented it for her because she had bad cramps.) Basically, you would insert the ball thrower thing and cup it around your uterus and press a button. The umbrella would then extend to completely surround your uterus. You could then press a button and heat your uterus and ovaries from the inside. I don't know how you'd do this without severing something internal, but we swore up and down that we'd make millions.
Congrats! Asking questions like this is the first step to becoming a responsible GSD owner. I would keep up with the research as you two learn how to become good buddies; I've owned GSDs my whole life and I'm still picking up good tips from trainers and the like. I've got a detailed response below, but feel free to PM me if you want to talk further. I'm always happy to help, and I wish you and your girl the best!
To your questions:
A few other things worth doing that will make both your lives easier:
https://www.amazon.com/Chuckit-Classic-Launcher-Colors-Vary/dp/B00006IX59
Well yes and no - in my humble opinion.
You are doing great at taking your dog at 2 times a day - I do the same, once when I get up and once when I get home from work. We usually are out for no less than an hour each session. The big difference is that I usually have my dog fetch at least 1 of the sessions for the hour and he really get's a good run in.
One suggestion is maybe try to train your dog to play fetch? I know not every dog is going to have that "prey drive" and ability to do it as well as others, but if your's was like my dog - he just didn't know how to play "that game".
I got my dog from an adoption agency and I'm pretty sure he had terrible ill-prepared owners who ended up giving him away. When I took him to his first field and threw a ball for the first time - he just looked at me funny. I had to "teach and train" him what to do. Try this resource and maybe purchase one of these - they help out immensely.
Bottom line, it's probably not good to ONLY walk your dog. He needs to get a good run in at least once or twice a week (at the least and pending his size/breed). Teaching fetch is probably the easiest solution (and the quickest) and it requires little to no physical exertion in comparison to getting in shape to run with your dog.
lmao
However considering the "redneck meth head who owns a giant dog" detail, perhaps this could be helpful for OP...
https://www.amazon.com/Chuckit-Classic-Launcher-Thrower-Assorted/dp/B00006IX59
Most dog owners are also well acquainted with this principle
this is one of those where different cultures having different definitions for the same word would cause a funny situation:
You - chuck = place; as in 'place it in and go'
US - chuck = throw, potentially quite hard, with little regard for accuracy; 'throw, potentially quite hard, with little regard for accuracy at the drive slot and go'
haha. clearly nobody is actually going to read it that way, but would be humorous.
bonus: Chuckit
[These] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006IX59/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_zKmcAbB6ZHD24) are really great imo. Let's you throw farther.. Used to wear my Aussie out in no time.
No problem!
Tiring out dogs can be a real pain. Thankfully I have 2 that play well together... One that has a never ending drive to retrieve, and one that loves to be chased. I throw the ball for the one that wants to be chased, and they run in big circles around me for 30 minutes non-stop, then we go inside and they pass out on the cold tile floor in the bathroom! It's fantastic. Haha.
The best advice I can give you is to use high value rewards. One of mine loves fetch just for the sake of fetch. The other wants a food reward. We had to initially get him interested by "trading" a ball for a small slice of hot dog. Once he understood that, we'd toss the ball 2-3 ft away, and he'd bring it back for more hot dog. Then we slowly moved to 10 ft, 20 ft, then full tosses. Once he gets the hang of it, you can phase the hot dog out (1 piece every other retrieve, then every third, then every fifth) until he's really just playing fetch because they like it.
My other big point of advice would be to get a Chuck It Launcher and a pack of Ultra Balls. The launcher makes it way easier to throw for a long time, as you don't have to bend over to pick the balls up, your hands don't get nasty, and the balls go farther. And the ultra balls are great because they are a near-indestructible rubber rather than the tennis ball that comes with the launcher (and they float!).
Hi - I have a Belgian Shepherd myself (Sheepdog variety, aka Groenendael). She is five now and much calmer than she was as a puppy, but as a pup, we were in the dog park twice a day (morning and night) for about 30-60 minutes each time, usually playing fetch (or she was herding other dogs).
You have a few options here other than just giving the dog up, but they will require you to commit time and some money to this.
First, wake up early and go to the dog park. I have something called the chuck it that I used all the time when my Belgian was a puppy. This toy let me avoid picking up disgusting tennis balls by hand while also throwing the toy way further than I typically could. Your dad working 9-5 is like my work schedule - I would wake up at like 6:30, take her to the park, come home around 7:15 and then feed her and get ready for work. She was used to be kenneled from about 8-12 when I would come home over lunch to let her out (I lived 5 minutes from my office). It wasn't much of a break, but it split up the day a bit for her. I would go back to work and leave her with a frozen kong toy that would mentally keep her occupied while I was gone. When I came home, I let her out, changed clothes, and off to the park again.
Also, have you considered doggy daycare or a dog walker? Days I knew would be long in the office, I couldn't get home, or had an event in the evening - she would go to daycare. It was about $25 a day but she basically was running and playing with other dogs for 9 hours. Great socialization and she was exhausted. Dog walker prices vary by area - I would check with some local rescue groups and see who they recommend (they should know the reputable walkers in the area).
Finally, the pup needs training. Either go to PetCo or PetSmart to get started with basic obedience and then graduate to other classes. My little girl was in advance obedience at 6 months old - she was on track for agility training when she was full grown (recommended as to not hurt her growing joints) but we moved and an agility facility was unfortunately nowhere near by. However, that said, I still kept up her training and daily dog park trips.
If you aren't willing to dedicate the time and energy to the breed, you're going to have a hell of a time. They're great dogs but you have to put the time in to working them out, physically and mentally. If you can't, see if the breeder will take the pup back (most will if they're good) and if not, contact the Belgian Shepherd rescue group - they probably have a foster system of some sort setup. Other local rescues may be able to help as well, just make sure they are foster based or have a private facility - don't just give the dog to animal control or the town shelter.
Tollers are great. I have a Toller and a Newf, and while the Newf is far more loving and an all around better "people dog", I love my Toller for all her quirks.
Like /u/Phog91 said, Long trails and wide open fields combined with a Chuckit is the best thing you can do. The Newf strolls along with me while the Toller loses her mind running around, fetching.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00006IX59?cache=b70fcc0ef9df54f5daac849831c2c0e8&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1405882789&sr=8-2#ref=mp_s_a_1_2 this is a great start for non-rainy days! I have an indomitable pitbull, this works wonders on tiring her out!
Just wanted to add another suggestion for leaving good marks, as no-one seems to have mentioned it yet... a regular ol' wooden spoon tends to leave quite prominent, and long-lasting, circular welts. And for a slightly different variation, a Chuckit (ball launcher - http://www.amazon.ca/Chuckit-Classic-Launcher-Colors-Vary/dp/B00006IX59) works super well too ;) The long, springy handle makes it fun to wield.
You will not be unprotected on your initial climb in if you use a line launcher or something similar on one side to put a line over the cross of your roof to the other. You then tie the rope in to a fixed point on the other side (like a tree or car) using a sling.
I used a kong ball with a hole in it (https://www.amazon.com/KONG-Ball-Dog-Medium-Large/dp/B0002DHOJA) and tied a thin 100 lb test nylon rope to it then launched it across with a dog ball launcher (https://www.amazon.com/Chuckit-Classic-Launcher-Colors-Vary/dp/B00006IX59). Once the small nylon rope was across the roof, I then tied it to a 100 foot 5/8" rope (https://www.amazon.com/Guardian-Fall-Protection-01360-VL58-100/dp/B004EEPTDG) and pulled it back across the roof so I could safely tie in.
It adds a few minutes to the time to get on the roof but it is worth it as you will have very low risk of falling because you will always be tied in.
I also use fall protection whenever I need to get up on a ladder on my 2nd story home. I have several different anchors that I can hang ropes from depending upon where I need to work.
You should also always be tied in moving anchor to anchor, something like this comes in really handy if you need to move across a larger roof: http://www.fallprotectionpros.com/guardian-big-boss-dual-leg-lanyard.html
This is a great video for finding rafters when you nail the fall protection in:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIMEMffezwI
All in all you would need to buy:
When I did this on my home I:
If your shingles are older this job will be tougher. Old shingles tend to tear instead of lifting.
This is a Chuckit!
We use one of these for ball throwing. Can easily launch up to 60m.
https://www.amazon.com/Chuckit-Classic-Launcher-Colors-Vary/dp/B00006IX59
> http://www.amazon.com/Chuckit-Classic-Launcher-Colors-Vary/dp/B00006IX59
If your dogs are anything like mine, the extra $5 for the one with the comfortable handle (instead of hard plastic) is a no-brainer... plus it throws a bit farther!
Look into some throwing/fetch toys like the Chuck It Launcher. My little guy will literally fetch all day long if I let him.
Something that bounces randomly when it hits the ground is also great, he goes crazy trying to catch toys like that. We have the Chuck It Evader and the Kong Ring Zinger. I spent some time training him to bring the toy closer to me, having him lay down or do a trick before I'll throw it again. He prefers a game of fetch to treats any day and is highly motivated to learn new tricks/behaviours if he knows the reward is a round of ball chasing.
Doggie ball thrower....thing
A ranch? So lots of running room? Throw a ball for them. Get one of these to save your arm and for farther throws. It really is a game changer. I like the glow in the dark balls the best as they bunch up easier when I have to pull them from my weims mouth. Part of the fetch game with my girl is "I just got it for you, you need to take it from me."
if he has energy to chew he might not be getting enough exercise. longer walks and more play time.
if you have a yard and he is into "fetch" get a [chuck-it] (http://www.amazon.com/Chuckit-Ball-Launcher-Colors-Vary/dp/B00006IX59/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342583169&sr=8-1&keywords=chuck+it) No more picking up the slobbery ball with your hand!
If they play fetch, tennis balls can be bought cheap. Pair some with a ChuckIt! Launcher and some treats and you'd have a nice doggy themed gift.
Get a ChuckIt and save your arms! Not only can you throw a ball farther, you also don't have to pick up the nasty slobbery thing.
You can buy this product - https://www.amazon.com/Chuckit-Classic-Launcher-Colors-Vary/dp/B00006IX59
This is even cheaper, and launches tennis balls a sufficient distance to tire out a pupper.
Or one of these: Canine Hardware Chuckit Ball Launcher Classic Medium (25 inches) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006IX59/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_E6JZCbNHAK0HK
Does your dog like to play fetch? We've got a lab-whippet mix and running is her favourite thing in the world. I bought a chuckit so that I can get a really long throw. We play in a big field, but if you've got a large yard, that will work too!
Edit: For some reason the other answers didn't load in until after I posted. I see that your dog looses interest in fetch. It might just be that he's getting a bit tired. I usually do five to ten throws of the ball and when I see my dog is starting to flag a little, I say "game over" and she gets a couple of minutes to relax and grab a drink of water before we start again. Ending the game on my terms instead of on hers keeps her interest in fetch really high.
That's my wonderful boyfriend, wearing my hoodie, and throwing the ball for them with a ChuckIt. (We have a big backyard.)
Why not just use one of these chuckit-ball-launchers, they are cheap and are an all in one snowball compactor and delivery system. Just take it out to a softer snow bank (ice and dense pack might break it) and just grab a scoop of snow like you would going into a pint of ice cream, then let loose the new found projectile at your enemies. Fast reload time decent range and no moving parts make the Chuckit ball launcher a true tide turning piece of technology wintertime armament. As a side bonus during the summer if you have a dog and a tennis ball hours of fetch without throwing your arm out.