Torque loves his raquetballs! He loves them even more when one is in a sock and he can play tug with it!
Tug is a great game. It’s great exercise for your dog (just watch those muscles ripple!), it’s interactive (without you, it’s carrying a toy, not tug), it’s a terrific training tool (fetch, drop), it doesn’t take much space or time, and it gives you another way of rewarding your dog during training.
But what if your dog’s favorite toy is a ball? There’s nothing for you to grab, nothing to tug on. The answer is simple – stick it in a sock!
Torque absolutely adores balls. There are some that have stick-out bits to hold, but not many, and rubber balls get so slimy with dog spit that it’s hard to hold on after just a minute or two. My solution? Stick it in a sock!
I buy inexpensive multipacks of men’s work socks at a discount store. Work socks tend to be a bit sturdier than regular crew socks, and last a little bit longer. I also try to get black socks, instead of white. Just because I don’t really want to know how dirty it’s getting as we play.
In order to play tug with balls, try to find a ball that’s the right size for your dog. Tennis balls are too big for Torque, but raquetballs are perfect. I just drop one into the toe of the sock, and we have a great tug toy. Don’t worry if the sock develops runs, holes, or rips. When the holes are big enough for the ball to “escape,” I just replace it. They’re very inexpensive, less than a dollar each, so it’s not a big deal.
Some people may be concerned that dogs won’t be able to tell the difference between a “toy sock” and a “clothes sock.” I can only tell you that Torque doesn’t have a problem at all. He knows that “toy socks” are in his toy box and he gets excited when he sees them come out. He’s not even interested when he sees me pulling socks from my dresser to put on, and has yet to destroy any. If he does find one within his reach (lying on the floor), and mangles it, it’s my fault. It shouldn’t have been there in the first place.
