Hey :)

We have heard that Spring poles are fantastic exercise for Staffords and now want one of our own!

Its for our 2 staffords and I have been browing on Ebay etc for a good one.

Does anyone have a good website addy for where I could get a good one?
They seem a little pricey as ready to assemble ones from Ebay for example range from £30 -£40, is this a good price?

Also if we decide to do it ourselves, what items would we need?

Any advice greatly appreciated!! :-D

I can put you in touch with someone who sells fantastic ones Rach
Will pm you his details as I'm not sure of his prices, but he had them at Crufts this year and they were great!

That would be fantastic!!

Thank you :) :)

I had no clue what that was so decided to do a search, now I know I have seen them before but didn't know that is what they were called...

http://www.pitbulllovers.com/training-articles/pitbull-training-springpoles.html

http://www.riospitbull.com/springpoles.htm

Always learning something new on here :)

Thank you for those links!

Will check them out now :)

It seems to be able to make it would be arojnd the same price as buying it all ready to assemble,,,hmmmm should I be lazy lol

I'm a little confused about the point of these things. How do dogs know what to do,or are they just designed for pit/staff type dogs?
Are they used just for exercise,(and what exercise do dogs get from using one) or to train other things?

Some videos on YouTube of dogs using spring poles.

Any dog can use a Spring Pole but Staffords and Pitbull's do seem to favour it.
It does wonders for strengthening the neck, chest and jaws of the dog and also burns off all the access energy they have in a very positive way. :)

Just look at the websites given in those links and am amazed that they say that they are not dog fighting. Upon reading further it describes a 'match'.... absolutely barbaric and such a pathetic new names for the actions performed by dogs and owners. Calling ripping each other apart.....'holds' and 'throws'. Who are they trying to kid?

If I owned a SBT I would be trying to put as much distance as possible between me and the thugs who abuse Staffs and Pit-Staff 'types' and that includes any method of exercise used and associated with them.
May I ask- why would a pet dog need an especially muscled neck and jaw?

I must admit that I was surprised that someone was asking about them on here, as I took it that it would be of more interested to person interested in their dogs having strength for reasons that a pet person wouldn't want.

a good quality SBT show dog should have naturally developed musclature for the show-ring and certainly when I judged some super ones a couple of months ago ( including a fabulous 6mths old ResCC winner,) I found no 'pumped-up' dogs.

Cant say its something I would want, Ive always associated it rightly or wrongly with people who train their dogs for fighting, surely it must increase their natural urge to get something and to hold it and not let go, why would you need it for a pet dog...isnt it a bit risky to increase that natural death grip that they already have.....

Dont they often say that even playing tug of war with a dog can increase its urge to grab things and become over zealous in its playing methods, and if even a slightly dominant breed could cause problems.

it is possible to make these your self, we have one that my partner made at least 20 yrs ago, our russell uses it now

Plenty of breeders have spring poles, it in no way says they are using it for fighting, its a good way to exercise a dog which has so much excess energy and also does promote fitness and good muscle tone.

Im just looking at the mo and deciding if we want one, as many people who own staffords have these and there dogs are in excellent condition and have superb temperaments to go with it as they are never left without exercise or stimulation and they are better for having a active life and mind.

> It does wonders for strengthening the neck, chest and jaws of the dog and also burns off all the access energy they have in a very positive way

Why do you want to strengthen the forequarters?  What purpose does it serve to make a dog grip & hang, to me it smacks of dog fighting equipment.  Training them to have a powerfully built front half with extra strong grip.

I have a springpole in my garden set up for my two Staffords.....
It is a good form of exercise for them.  Maintains their fitness and keeps them agile.

Bringing up Tooolz comment - why would a pet dog require a muscled neck or jaw.. well perhaps a pet dog may not, but as I also show my two
The KC standard calls for (amongst other things) the body to be well defined and muscled.  That is what I am attempting to maintain. 
The muscles of the forefront are exercised correctly only if the spring pole is set up properly and the dogs back legs remain on the floor.
Yes, there is a relative amount of 'natural' muscularity in the dogs, but I feel that also needs to be maintained and this is why I occasionally use a spring pole.
I say occasionally, as I agree with Toolz to a point, I would not want my dogs to look 'overdone' and the majority of their exercise comes from good old fashioned walking and running :-)

Sadly, the same methods are often used by less desirable people. 

My breed also requires it to be shown in a well muscled condition - as I would imagine most breeds to be - but I don't use a spring pole rather I take my dogs out and free run them & road walk them.

Christine that is completely out of context and a very sweeping statement!!!

So everyone who has a spring pole is a dog fighter the yeah?? We all have one just so we can get our dogs fit for dog fighting?
NO Its is much harder to drain a staffords energy then most breeds even if you walk them 2 hours every day, they are always into something, toys are destroyed and often expensive (top of range toys) and bones last seconds, so why cant we use a cheap, easyily assembled bit of kit to help drain our dogs energy and keep them in shape????

Tracey put in pertfectly in describing what it is for, so not everyone who owns a staffy is a hooded thug who wants to fight them!!

Trying to physically drain an active dogs energy doesnt actually help alot you just end up with a fitter more energetic dog, it has to be combined with mental stimulation. Playing on a spring pole may give some but I would have thought limited mental stimulation. JMHO

Why do you want to strengthen the forequarters?  What purpose does it serve to make a dog grip & hang, to me it smacks of dog fighting equipment.  Training them to have a powerfully built front half with extra strong grip.

well if thats the way you see it then that must mean we own a treadmill because we fight our border terriers, no its for fitness, muscle etc etc if they were heavy enough to pull it round which they arent

In Response to ChristineW
My breed also requires it to be shown in a well muscled condition - as I would imagine most breeds to be - but I don't use a spring pole rather I take my dogs out and free run them & road walk them.

And that is exactly what I have just said Christine... but I shall repeat.  The majority of the exercise my dogs receive is walking.  The spring pole is used occasionally.

Its fantastic mental stimulation as you never let them play unsupervised and make it a game for them, you dont just leave them to it, you have to supervise and at the same time make it fun and then you get physical and mental stimulation.
Its just a great toy for fitness and fun as walking alone wont drain a stafford, unless you own one you wont know what I mean, and it really is as simple as that, no hidden agenda, just good plain fun for dogs.

I have a springpole for my 3, its not too high so they dont HANG off it, there back feet are always on the floor, i definatly DO NOT fight my dogs or am training them to fight it helps to drain there excess energy, my dogs get a hour and a half walk in the morning and again in the evening and sometime a hour walk in the afternoon as well but still have loads of pent up energy, we spend ages in the garden playing and also play in the house. My 3 get a maximum of 10 mins playing with the springpole about twice a week and they really enjoy it and it definatly hasnt increased there natural urge to get hold of something and not let go, my 3 year old son plays with them with rope toys (supervised ofcourse) and they are so gentle with him.
I know lots of staffie owners and breeders who use them and they dont fight there dogs either.

Dont tell me Staffords have more energy than a BC LOL. I do try to understand a very very active breed(I don't think anyone can ever say they understand them fully). Pulling and tugging on a spring pole isnt any more stimulating than any other game of tug really  is it except the spring pole can stand the tugging longer than you would :-D Maybe its the terriers natural instincts that make this fun for them.  I'm not against their use by the way although it may sound like it.

Thats why my dogs dont just play with a springpole, we do lots of other things to stimulate them as well, they love playing hide & seek, running with me, long walks games in the garden and all sorts, i dont use mine to make my dogs extra muscly i just use it as another toy, they get bored very easily if you are doing the same thing every day so we alternate what we do and the toys we play with, our walk routes are always different as well.

Staffords do tend to love it more then most, same as they hang on branches in woods if allowed (I dont as it can damage the gums and make them bleed etc)

The spring pole is also great for someone who doesnt have a big garden, it takes up so little space and provides a lifetime of fun for little cost, anyone who has a staff or knows one knows how much money can be spent on toys in one go! so its beneficial in more ways then one when used in a pocitive way and supervised. :)
On its own it wouldnt be any good, but combined with like Pepsi said games and walking, its ideal.

Thanks Pepsi1 thats the point I obviously completely missed making in my initial post :-D

> May I ask- why would a pet dog need an especially muscled neck and jaw

I had the same feelings of unease about the purpose of such equipment, but then I am the kind of owner because my dogs were brought up with children, that I never encouraged any tug games or roughhousing with people.

Maybe I am over cautious?

Its fari enough if you dont like them, as its your choice what exercise methods you use for your dog :)

People like Christine who mentioned earlier that it is ONLY ever used for dog fighting and I must have a hidden agenda for wanting to strengthen my dog for unwanted purposes, its exactly people like that who start bad rumours going round which are completely unjustified and the only info they have is from a website and then that rumour reachrs people like yourself and they start putting doubt in your mind about it when it is completely safe when used responsibly :)

our is attached to the washing line, i'll explain, our washing line is a concrete post, metal is bolted to it with a bolt at the end for where the spring is attached, then it has a choke chain with an old seat belt attached to it, which is what the dog plays with

Mine is bolted to the inside of our compound, it kind of looks abit like a hangman with a spring at the top and rope coming down with a rope toy tied to the end, when its not in use its hung over the top so they cant get it as i only let them play with it supervised.


I had the same feelings of unease about the purpose of such equipment, but then I am the kind of owner because my dogs were brought up with children, that I never encouraged any tug games or roughhousing with people.

Maybe I am over cautious?

I can only speak for myself and my experiences Brainless. But my dogs do not play any other tug games with me, when they do play with 'other' toys - chews, kongs, etc.  If I ask for them, they drop them on command.  I don't encourage 'roughhousing' type play either - even with my 16 year old son who is over 6ft tall :-)
Oh and also edited to add, both my dogs have been brought up with and around children.

The spring pole is also great for someone who doesnt have a big garden

My main point was the fact that the general public perceive the SBT to be akin to a fighting dog or a chavvy status symbol AND when they look into the said 'small garden' they will naturally assume either
A) "Oh look she's training it for fighting"  Tut Tut
or
B) " corr I want one of them it will make ma dog look even more 'ard"

Surely 'Good' Staffy owners should be trying to distancing themselves from the 'Bad' owners we read about every day.
There is a real 'sort' who likes to hang his staffy from a stick, rope or branch  on the Common near me and then looks around in the hope that there are people around to admire how hard his dog is.
  As I said Distance

I have seen those people you speak of Toolz and I dislike them just as much as you, rest assured of that.
But most back gardens are enclosed, so they would never be seen on the spring pole to begin with by these characters you describe unless they jump a 6 foot fence which most staffy owners have as standard.

But us good owners cant stop using the spring pole because other less desirable characters try to replicate it, surely if anything it shows the difference between a good owner using a controlled supervised spring pole in a family back garden, compared to a thug who is hanging a stafford off a tree branch where the dogs mouth can be cut and also could fall from a height causing even more damage.

Surely 'Good' Staffy owners should be trying to distancing themselves from the 'Bad' owners we read about every day.

Is this a question or a statement?

I would consider myself a responsible DOG owner first and foremost, the breed is irrelevant. 
I have a perfect understanding of the stereotype, and as negative as that may be for my breed, I know that my conscience is clear and I train my dogs well and look after them well... And I certainly don't fit that stereotype :-)

How I choose to exercise my dogs is my choice isn't it?  Just because 'some' undesirables choose to train their dogs in this fashion also does not make me or my dogs like them.  If people assume that then that's something lacking in them, not me.
Edited to add here:  I would also say that if people have that negative assumption about the breed, then aren't they more than likely just to think that of the breed anyway?  Regardless of how they're being exercised?
Neither do I hang my dogs from a stick, rope or branch and it is a sad reflection on some members of society who choose to do that.
I do not condone dog fighting.

Distance?  I will distance myself from these type of people of course. 
But as I said, I am a responsible dog owner who chooses to use this form of exercise on occasion.

Well said Tracey :)

That's what I reckon too!  Both my SBTs have never used anything like this.  They go out with my Belgians and get the same exercise as they do and have great muscle tone.

Sarah.

Sorry Belgian, what do you agree with? You didnt say lol

I was replying to Toolz comment that Staffs muscles should not be overdone.  As I've said, I've never needed to use anything like this.  They run about with my other dogs and go for their usual walks, play fetch, chew tug with each other etc.  They are beautifully muscled (not an ounce of fat) without being overdone.

Sarah.

No one said that you DO need to use one, its just preference and playing Tug is just another form of spring pole, so technically you do still do it, just dont have the actual Spring Pole and get an achy arm instead lol :)

As we all know different dogs in a breed have different energy levels, seems some dogs benefit and some dont need it as they dont have such a high energy band, doesnt mean anyone is wrong or right just having the preference of their dog in mind.
And no dog should be overdone absolutly but not to have an ounce of fat on them sounds a little extreme to me as its not a good thing.

>The KC standard calls for (amongst other things) the body to be well defined and muscled.

Forgive me if someone's already asked this, but what special exercise would have to be done to the hindquarters to keep the muscularity in balance, and the dog not be 'overdone' at the front?

If you use the spring pole occasionaly the dog wont even be over done on the front, as with everything some people may abuse it and get an overly big dog that looks out of proportion.

A Frame training is used to get the back end toned and the back legs, again great fun as long as supervised and not abused :)

>>>>>>>>There is a real 'sort' who likes to hang his staffy from a stick, rope or branch  on the Common near me and then looks around in the hope that there are people around to admire how hard his dog is. <<<<<<<<<<

How do you know he doesnt live in a flat and doesnt have access to a garden and therefore thats why he excersies his dog there- and maybe he looks around because he is a sensible dog owner and wants to make sure there are no approaching dogs?

I have pics of my dogs on my web, no one can say mine are over done or un balanced like i said before mine get a maximum of 10 mins twice a week just so they have something different to do and there not doing the same thing all the time.

i have a staff and ive never heard of a spring pole! and she loves to play tug!!! is that so wrong?

Of course not!!! And dont let anyone make you feel bad for doing so either, there is nothing wrong with playing tug and it in no way encourages aggressive tendancies, Mitz my own girl is living proof of it :)
I hadnt heard of a spring pole till the other week either.

Tug is a more calmer way of having a spring pole as you are still teaching the dog the same techniques of play.
I play tug with all staffords, they love it, and if they love spring pole as well, then so be it! :)

Rach.  I am not arguing for or against this.  Just saying that I've never needed to use one as my dogs don't need building up!

I was replying to Toolz comment that Staffs muscles should not be overdone.  As I've said, I've never needed to use anything like this.  They run about with my other dogs and go for their usual walks, play fetch, chew tug with each other etc.  They are beautifully muscled (not an ounce of fat) without being overdone.

And that is exactly what I have said also regarding my two Staffords.
They have 'general' walking and running exercise and occasional work on the spring pole.  Both mine are beatifully muscled and both are NOT overdone.
So we do things differently belgian bonkers, but achieve much the same result.  Ah diversity.  Love it.

> People like Christine who mentioned earlier that it is ONLY ever used for dog fighting and I must have a hidden agenda for wanting to strengthen my dog for unwanted purposes,

Erm.......read my post thoroughly please before jumping in with both feet

"Why do you want to strengthen the forequarters?  What purpose does it serve to make a dog grip & hang, to me it smacks of dog fighting equipment.  Training them to have a powerfully built front half with extra strong grip. "

I said it smacks of dog fighting equipment, did I actually come out & say this is why you are buying it for?   No.   I regularly pass a woman who road walks her Staffies for miles and they are in great condition, and they certainly don't look like raving loonies on the end of their leads who need other stimulus.

I didn't come down in the last shower so please don't speak to me as if I have.

How do you know he doesnt live in a flat and doesnt have access to a garden and therefore thats why he excersies his dog there- and maybe he looks around because he is a sensible dog owner and wants to make sure there are no approaching dogs?
Lots of people use the common for their own reasons and lack of garden may be one of them but I wouldn't know.
BUT...
The stupid grin, can of Stella and that little glimpse of his underwear .....Oh and  the fact that it wears a massive studded collar on his poor dog. The dog is so obsessed with hanging from things it wouldn't hear a bomb going off...... no he is just ssooooo proud of how 'game' his status symbol is. He is showing off.
I love SBTs and in my fantasy world I would have a big farm and a Rottie, a GSD and a Staff along with my other breeds. The fact that I may be clubbed in with these Chavvy sorts would get on my nerves though.