Throwing Techniques
Once you start using a Sloofa you will have hours of fun using it to play fetch with your dog, but developing further skills adds more variety to the experience, and gives your dog more to do, so its very interactive.
Vary the type of ball
Some balls bounce higher than others, some whistle as they fly through the air, some have an irregular bounce. You can use them all in the Sloofa. Try using a luminous ball at night (for your benefit not your dogs). The company Chuckit sell different types of balls like this and the Sloofa can throw them all.
Throwing a ball on a windy day
You do have an advantage on a windy day, as the wind will make the ball less audible to the dog when it lands, so make the most of it, if you want to give your dog a challenge.
Vary the location/terrain
If you're fortunate to have a dog that loves to swim, use a Sloofa to throw a ball in water (provided it floats). A ball thrown at height by a Sloofa makes a loud and audible splash that your dog will hear and retrieve.
Most breeds of dog have a very capable nose but some breeds (the natural retrievers) are specialists. For those dogs, try throwing balls into long grass and dense overgrowth (provided that you know that it is safe). Occasionally you will lose a ball but most of the time, after an extensive search it wont be long before your dog returns with the ball. To achieve this, you need to be pretty familiar with your dog's abilities but you can gradually change the location and terrain to test them.
You can also throw balls in total darkness that most dogs will find in an open field, but again with the specialists they can do that in long grass and overgrowth as well.
Hold and Retrieve
Keep your dog by your side and make him/her wait for the ball to be thrown before you give the command for your dog to find it. This can be hard to do if you're having to hold your dog at the same time as you throw it, as it does make it awkward. Its often useful to do this, if your dog has a tendency to hold onto the ball, as you may physically have to take it out of their mouth. If you're using two balls, often the thrown ball will encourage the dog to release the ball they're holding before they run off to get the thrown ball. If your dog continues to hold the ball, be stubborn and only release them once they drop the one they're holding. By doing this, they may not retain it so long next time.
Variety in basic throwing
So variety is a big factor, and this is achieved by varying the distance, power, direction and height. Timing also plays a part as well as you decide when to throw it. Often your dog will believe that its in flight and instinctively runs to fetch it, but then gets confused by the late throw which may not even be close to where he ran to. Now he has to search for it. This is what a Sloofa does best, it adds variety to the exercise and keeps your dog actively engaged.
Vary the direction or height
Another useful technique, as it keeps your dog guessing as to where you've pitched it. Observe where your dog happens to be running after you've thrown it. If your dog is getting used to you throwing it a certain way, vary how you've been throwing it, and see what happens. Let your dog have some fun searching for it.
Vary the power/strength
Occasionally, use less or more strength to what you usually use, so it keeps your dog alert in watching you, as most dogs invariably run off in the same direction everytime. If your dog didn't notice the change they still end up having to search for the ball.
Change the direction
If your dog generally runs off in the same direction, slightly rotate and throw it in a different direction to where they ran to force a search.
Vary the height
A Sloofa achieves height very easily and its actually harder to throw a grubber (a ball running along the ground). However, it is still possible to vary the height and power and of course the direction. This leads us on to the lob
The Lob
This is the easiest way to throw it. Take a look at the video.
The Short Lob
If your dog gets used to running out to a long ball, try lobbing a short one. The dog is unlikely to hear it land so its a good technique to use occasionally, to get your dog searching for it. Combine this with a change of direction as well if you want, or even a dummy.
Bounce & Catch
All dogs like jumping for a ball, and a Sloofa does this effortlessly. Short gentle lobs will give the ball a reasonable bounce, enabling your dog to invariably catch the ball after the first bounce. Again, it will take a little practice depending on the speed of your dog, but try and place it where they can try and catch it after the first bounce, but don't expect a successful outcome each time to try it.
The Dummy
An additional technique to learn is the dummy. Rather than throw the ball after the first revolution which your dog may be expecting, keep rotating it and throw it after another revolution. Your dog is unlikely to be expecting it late, so it will make it harder for him or her to detect it being thrown, but it should make them listen out for it landing. Take a look at my video demonstrating the dummy. You will notice that I put no effort in the first revolution (the dummy), as excess effort/force does weaken the sling, and its unnecessary, for its purpose is to confuse your dog. Within the demonstration video you will notice that my dog didn't have a clue where it was thrown, after I used the dummy, so that particular throw turned out to be a Sloof. He did eventually find it, but only after a couple of minutes of searching.
The Sloof
This is a term that I’ve used to describe a tactically thrown ball, and one that is likely to be difficult to find as it wasn’t detected by the dog when it landed. Great for dogs that like searching. If you want to have a rest from throwing, then this is a good one to exercise your dog for longer. You may find that as your dog becomes more familiar with how the Sloofa is used, they too learn from it, so it will become harder to do the Sloof. It’s usually possible to achieve a Sloof after doing the dummy first of all, followed by a change of direction and then pitching a lower ball, as this would make less noise. However, many variations are possible to achieve it.
Take a look at the video above which involves the dummy, resulting in a Sloof. Its quite amusing to see how surprised my dog looks, when he realises that he didn't notice where it went. It's not shown in the video, but my dog then searched for the ball until he found it.
The Grubber
Firing a grubber
Firing a grubber refers to the practice of throwing a low ball, and one that travels closer to the ground. Usually, this can encourage your dog to run faster to catch up with it, as it is usually fired just in front of him/her. There is of course a risk that the ball may hit your dog when throwing it this way, so you may prefer to use a lighter ball when practicing this technique.
When you are practising this technique choose a quiet and safe location without any hazards – in the middle of an open field would be ideal.
To fire a grubber you basically need to raise the ball higher from the normal start position using your arm, and you release the ball slightly sooner than you would for the normal throw. The objective is throw the ball relatively low to the ground. You will not be able to achieve the same distance as you would with a normal throw, but it does make the ball more visible for your dog, particularly if you can throw it close to them. You do not need to adjust the sling cord. This takes a little practice but its worth getting to know, as it adds variety to your dogs enjoyment of the retrieve. Don't worry if you can't master this technique straight away, but give it a try now and again, and you should get better at it.
As you continue to use a Sloofa you will contiue to find new ways to interact with your dog to have hours of fun, but a Sloofa can also be used without a dog for other activities such as recreational play and fielding practice.
Fielding Practice & Recreational Activities with a Sloofa
Passing the Ball & Accuracy
This can be done with two players or more. Both of whom could have a sloofa, and the ball is passed between both players. Throw it high or along the ground. Whilst the Sloofa is reasonably accurate, it does require skill to throw it at a specific target, and in time, I’m sure that many are likely to get pleasure from throwing it competitively with accuracy.
Fielding Practice
One player or a coach could use a Sloofa from the centre of a field and fire it out to all fielders randomly in all directions. Lob it high, or low, short or far or fire a grubber. Have a good supply of balls mind. If any fielder happens to be weak at high catches, a Sloofa lobs a ball very high with ease, but extra care should be taken if hard or solid balls are thrown.
Share your techniques and activities
We'd like to hear and share any news on any other techniques or activtites that you discover, while using a Sloofa, so please let us know.
