Is this a good spring pole?

Hi,
Does this look like a decent spring pole set-up? It's ebay item no 7136119667. I don't know how to make one so was looking online.
Thanks!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=66505&item=7136119776&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

 

well I havent see one like that..But it is being used wrong in the pic...a dogs back feet should ALWAYS be on the ground when using a spring pole...to prevent the dog seriously injuring itself..the dog in the pic looks like it is swinging in mid-air. looks like the part the dog bites is foam, which is a big no-no. the dog could rip the foam off and swallow it. The best spring poles IMO is a peice of stong cowhide or rope attached to a garage door spring, which is attached to a sturdy tree or post...

 

idgie,

Do not pay $40 for a springpole! You can make a very nice springpole for $20 and it is not hard to do at all. If you have your mind made up that you do not want to make one yourself, message me and I will make you a better quality springpole for half the price.

TabDogs,

Now, I do understand what you are saying about how the dog should always be able to keep its back feet on the ground, but give me a break. If you are afraid of your 'bulldog' getting injured on a springpole you must have unsound dogs. These dogs were bred to bait bulls and I guarantee you that bulls used to toss dogs much higher off the ground than any springpole will. When you are introducing your dog to a springpole and building up it's confidence, I agree, the dog should be able to keep its back feet on the ground, but after your dog has been working a springpole for awhile you can raise the springpole so the dog is able to swing on it. Now, I can adjust the height of my springpole, but I will tell you this, my dogs enjoy it much more when he has all of his legs off the ground and is able to swing on it. Oh, and guess what? My dog is just a little staffy bull. He is about a foot and a half off the ground in this picture and it was taken months ago. He is now jumping about 6 to 6.5ft to grab the bite surface and about 1.5 to 2ft off the ground.

 

why risk an unnecessary injury?

 

People who test game dogs should not comment on unnecessary injuries. Besides, like I said, if you are afraid of your dog getting injured while working on a springpole, you must have unsound dogs. We are not talking about some frail and delicate breed here.

 

First of all dont tell me about my dogs when you know nothing about them, dont make some BS judgement based on the little knowledge you obviously have, if you had a even a 1/4 of a brian you would know that the soundness of a dog has NOTHING to do with it having an injury..so your telling me if a dog falls lets say flat on its back from mid air or on its neck it wont get injured just because it is "sound"..lol. a dogs bones can break or sprain, just like a person who is in the best physical shape can break a bone if they were to fall the wrong way..same with a dog.. What I am saying and what anyone with common sense knows is that a dogs back feet should always be on the ground..what purpose does it serve for the dog to be swinging in mid air??? NONE. and yes it can cause serious injury...for instance you get a high strung dog thats swinging widly back and forth off the ground and they let go.. like i said before you are risking a back ro neck injury this way..if you want to do that with yours fine be my guest I could care less...

 

who said i game test my dogs? must have been a judgement call because i have never spoken with you.

 

geez........y do some people get all defensive about a persons response......its a message board, nothin more nuthin less........lmao

 

you have a point there. Its just a message board

 

CRG,

I wasn't specifically talking about you or your dogs. It was a generalized statement.

TabDogs,

Like I said, maybe your dogs are just unsound. My dog has been trained to bite correctly. Guess what? In order for a dog to 'fly off' and land in a bad position maybe resulting in an injury, the dog would have to let go. Maybe your dogs also have weak mouths, mine doesn't let go until I have him release the bite surface. What purpose does it serve? He enjoys it. You take a risk with any choice you make and anything you do. Are you the type of person who would not allow your child to play football because they 'might' get injured? Sorry, I am not.

 

I like to have my springpoles on the tree where the dog can grip his paws and back feet onto the tree and hold up while playing, its a good technique..

 

LMAOOOO ..i needed a good laugh tonight...

 

i think this is going to be a big arguement again... how do people come up with threads like this and make others argue over it... its humerous sometimes... yea but i would have to agree with tabdog on this one... because this is how i do it too...

 

Your telling me.. I get a kick out of people who try to step on toes..IF thats whats what gets their rocks off ..go for it..

 

hey i have nothing against that, if thats what you got to do then go for it...

 

and here is my 2 cents :p ...that springpole is a waste... i have one made from 4x4s concreted in the ground 4 ft and 2x4s for joist... 1/2 inch eye bolts... with a garage door spring and a rope hangin from that and attached to that a bicycle tire ( with wires removed of course ) here are a couple pics of my female shelby playin

 

Nice looking springpole set-up

 

nice spring pole setup, easy to make and fix if broken, and cost efficent...

 

argument or not both parties have good points, when i play tug with my dogs, they like me to swing them around, but they dont let go until they are back down. i start them young playing tug, and i pick them strait up and put them down several times. it teaches them to hold ontight. and they love it. and so do i , and no injuries yet...lol

 

until some of you have the "pleasure" of wrapping an APBT up in a plastic garbage all the while having to straighten his head which was turned backwards due to the cervical spine being SHATTERED b/c he broke a canine on a spring pole which resulted in him letting go & falling 5 ft somehow on his head & neck, then you will not understand why so many of us advise having a springpole to where your dog's back legs remian on the ground. This client was in tears along with her children who were with her when she brought in this gorgeous buckskin APBT doa. Truth is accidents happen & this is not the first neck or spinal injury I have seen or treated in APBTs who have to jump up to grap the swing pole & then swing a few feet off the ground. Also, while many say "oh, well my pit bull doesn't let go, we have to pry him off", I agree with whoever's quote says that if a pit bull could lock it's jaws then it would still be hanging on. At some point your dog WILL let go & I'm sure you will not always be there to gently place him on the ground. I never want to have a straighten a dogs neck in which I have to feel & hear the crackling & grinding of splintered vertabrae fragments again. So my advice is to fabricate a spring pole in which the your dog's back legs will always remain in contact with the ground. It is even a good idea to start your dog on it while all 4 feet remain on the ground until he gets used to it. Then you can pull it up some. It's only my opinion.