When Tucker was at the height of his youth, finding ways to expend his energy quickly and safely was a challenge. In the summer of 2014, we were stationed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana working long hours on a film. During the fire sale at the end of production, I came across a set dec item that served us well for many years: A soccer ball on a bungee cord. It was essentially a tether ball that used me as the fulcrum rather than a pole. Tucker had a blast with it.
Over the years though, it started to deflate.
Soccer balls are pretty hard objects that hurt when they hit you. Surprisingly, deflated soccer balls hurt even more. The flatter it became, the more easily Tucker could grab it, but also the more painful it was when we got hit with it.
In January 2022, I finally found an appropriate, safer, less-painful replacement: The Squishy Dog Flirt Pole.
Squishy Face Flirt Pole V2
Tuck didn’t seem to like it as much in comparison, but also at the age of 10, Tuck didn’t need the intensity of such a hard core activity as he had in years prior. It didn’t come out of the toy box very often.
Flash-forward to Fall 2025 and enter my six-month-old foster pup Maddie. Now this is a dog who needs an efficient way to expend energy. Out from the bottom of the toy box came the Squishy Dog Flirt Pole like I had extracted the Sword in the Stone. Since we got some proper play time with it, I figured we’d give it its long overdue review.
The Canine Perspective: Maddie’s Take
As a six-month-old puppy, Maddie has very little experience or expectations with the world. Without any biases, she only asks herself one question: Is this fun?
Maddie’s answer: Yes!
Maddie is cautious with new items and suspicious if you try to hand her things directly. Perhaps her stray mom taught her that if someone wants to hand you something delicious and/or fun, they’re most likely going to grab you. The main point of focus of the flirt pole is at the end of a three foot bungee cord attached to the end of a three foot pole — well outside of the possible grabbing area.
Note: Rescued shelter pups who have been caught by animal control using a catchpole, however, may be initially leery of this object due to its similarity in shape. Since Maddie was a mere six weeks old when she was brought to the shelter, I’m guessing they just picked her up with their hands (hence the suspicion that hands may have nefarious motives).
Maddie quickly engaged with the lure on the ground as I dragged it and made it hop up and around to avoid her catching it. The first week, Maddie’s chase was on-going, round and round, her nails leaving holes in my lawn like a race horse’s hooves on a racetrack. By the third week, she started to employ strategy. She watched for a spell first to try to find my pattern of dragging and hopping it into the air, and when the lure was in the air in an arc, she cut it off by running straight at its intended location. We went from checkers to chess, and the game became even more fun and challenging — for both of us.
The Human Perspective
I’m surprised to see that despite everything else in the world increasing in price, the Squishy Face Flirt Pole costs exactly what it did in 2022 when I purchased it: $28.99. Taking into account inflation, it actually costs less now!
The three foot pole is a lightweight PVC pipe with a comfortable foam grip and plastic ends, easy to swing around and on the off chance you hit the dog (or yourself) with it, no one gets hurt. The bungee cord is sturdy and gives enough stretch for the dog to jump for the lure, land, and not rip the pole out of your hand.
Unlike a lure line game like Swift Paws which is a set track or a tetherball attached to a pole, the flirt pole allows play to be customizable and unpredictable. Since Maddie is so young, I opted to keep the lure mostly on the ground to avoid strenuous leaping and landing on her growing joints. However, as she employed more strategy, I found her catching the lure mid-air when I did get it off the ground. She actually became quite good at it and really enjoyed it.
The flirt pole also satisfied my love of puppetry. It became an interactive skill game between Maddie and me. She needed to catch it and I needed to move the lure in such a way to be challenging enough to be engaging but not so hard that she never caught it.
At some point in the last few years, the lure had fallen off, but I was able to reattach it with ease. You can also buy additional lures should your dog destroy one. Lures come with squeakers and without. Only one out of two squeakers currently work on the lure I have, so I’m assuming that Tucker pierced one at some point. I can’t say the squeakers are terribly sturdy, but they’re not meant to be chew toys.
I like the tie-dyed lures for the simple fact that they don’t look like parts of living animals. It’s not a squirrel or cat tail or even a mouse-shaped object. While it appeals to Maddie’s instinct to chase, my hope is that it won’t lead to Maddie chasing and bringing down living creatures.
In playing with Gary, Maddie’s 80 pound pit bull friend, I discovered that some dogs require a little guidance on what part of the flirt pole to chase. While Maddie immediately went for the lure, Gary aimed his massive head at the pole and leapt for it. Luckily, his poor aim and my ability to get out of the way left neither of us injured. But lesson learned: Some dogs need an instruction manual.
I’ve had other fosters and none have responded to the flirt pole with such exuberance as Maddie has. Every morning after our walk, Maddie went to the garage door, patiently waiting for me to get it out and play a few rounds. It was an efficient and fun way to knock down her pent up energy level before our day even started.
It may not be for every dog. Not all dogs like all games. For instance, Tucker never found the appeal of fetch. But if your dog likes to chase, and if you like to engage in challenging and fun play with your dog, this is definitely a game for the both of you.
Pros
- Lightweight and easy to handle.
- Not painful if you or your dog comes in contact with the pole or lures.
- Lures don’t look like animal parts.
- Replaceable lures sold separately.
- Lures can be purchased with squeakers or without.
- Stretchy but sturdy bungee cord.
- Good game to teach “drop it”.
- Fun game that builds a bond between you and your dog.
Cons
- May require some level of educating the dog on what to chase.
- May cause some dogs to want to chase other things.
- Not something your dog can play alone.
- May not be for a dog fearful of poles (dogs brought to animal control using a catchpole).
- Needs at least a 10-12 foot radius of play area if not more, preferably outdoors.
The Final Bark
Maddie and I agree that the Squishy Face Flirt Pole V2 is a must have for puppies and dogs who love a strategic game of chase. Given the cost of dog toys these days, $28.99 is more than a fair price for this interactive toy that should last years. You do need some outdoor space that your dog can be off leash to play safely. This is not an indoor game unless you and your dog have exceptional coordination skills and a lot of empty, carpeted floor space.
The replaceable lures are a perk in case your dog is a little overzealous with them or your dog starts to ignore the “drop it” command. Near week four, Maddie wanted to add Tug to the game once she caught the lure, and I had to put a stop to it. I don’t know if the bungee cord would hold up to powerful games of Tug, but to be fair, it’s not made for that game.
Tucker liked the soccer ball better, but I think that’s only because the added challenge was trying to fit the ball in his mouth. I believe if you don’t start with a soccer ball, dogs who like chase and catch will absolutely love this game.
As for the human element enjoyment, if you like puppetry and playing with your dog to outwit them in a game that expends their energy both mentally and physically, Maddie and I both highly recommend the Squishy Face Flirt Pole V2.
