Toy Testers’ Verdicts: Sheepskin Chaser Toy

When we designed the Sheepskin Chaser, our number one goal here at Tug-E-Nuff Dog Gear was to create a super-strong, irresistible toy that would tap into the chase drive of every dog, helping trainers use this in-built instinct to their advantage during training.

With hundreds of five-star reviews and thousands more sold, we’re confident that our Sheepskin Chaser has ticked that box and many more; boosting motivation, nailing focus and getting amazing results. But we wanted to really put it to the test.

So we appealed on our Facebook and Instagram pages for Toy Testers to come forward and give the Sheepskin Chaser a run for its money. We had hundreds of entries and decided to give away four chasers in return for some honest feedback.

And the verdicts are in...

Leanne + Tobie & Lexi

Leanne and her springer spaniels Tobie, 13, and Lexi, six, are based in the Midlands. This awesome trio have a jam-packed schedule, training to build confidence, and for dog parkour and trick training. Lexi, in particular, struggles with nerves and Tobie is working on her recall, so Leanne was keen to see if the Sheepskin Chaser could help…

How has the Sheepskin Chaser helped you tackle the things you struggle with in training?

The Sheepskin Chaser has done more than I ever could have thought! Tobie was the first one to show interest and had an immediate game of tug with it (this is a dog that will offer you a toy, but the game for her is not letting you take it, so this was brilliant!).

With Lexi, the Chaser has surpassed all my hopes! She treats it as as much of a reward as food in some situations and she LOVES the human interaction it requires. But most of all, using it as a lure and to increase her positive arousal has really helped ease her nervous energy and build confidence.

How do you like to use the Sheepskin Chaser?

I mostly use it at the moment as an aid for recall and keeping focus. I’m trying to stop Lexi from running off and hunting in key areas by instead focusing her chase onto the toy. She been doing really well at waiting, then chasing and grabbing the bite area for a nice game of tug!

Has the Sheepskin Chaser brought any other benefits?

The girls are extra focused on me when out walking as if they know I could offer the toy at any moment! They seem to really understand that it’s a training sort of play rather than a ‘run off and entertain yourselves’ game.

How does it compare to other toys you’ve tried?

Other toys have managed to get them interested, but never for such a sustained amount of time. I think the smell of the real fur helps with this. It’s brilliant for retrieves and for getting the dogs’ attention, whereas any other toys are just aimed at fetch/retrieves.

Any tips for getting started with a Chaser?

I’d recommend getting your dog interested in the Chaser toy  at home, especially if you have a nervous dog like Lexi. Pair it with positive responses/language but most of all HAVE FUN! I’ve found playing with Sheepskin Chaser as enjoyable as the dogs have!

🐾 Follow Leanne, Tobie and Lexi’s training journey on Instagram @tobieandlexi

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Lily + Sandy & Pebbles

Lily lives in the East Midlands with seven-year-old Cavachon, Sandy, and one-year-old Tibetan Terrier crossbreed, Pebbles. They focus their training around agility, hoopers, tricks and obedience. Lily wanted to see if the Sheepskin Chaser could boost Sandy’s toy drive and improve Pebbles’ speed on the agility course…

What were your first impressions of the Sheepskin Chaser?

We adore our Sheepskin Chaser! It’s so soft and the length is perfect for tugging for small dogs or puppies especially! Sandy’s biggest struggle when training is drive. Since she’s a very low drive dog, her ideal world would be going at her own speed, and she’s never really had enough speed in competitions to be really successful. When using the Sheepskin Chaser I can tell her interest and effort in running has improved significantly!

Pebbles is starting to do some agility foundation work (low impact) and because of the mix she is she has so much potential. We see this especially when she’s running around, playing with Sandy in the garden... but we could never bring that speed into the agility course. Since using the Chaser, a switch has flicked and she’s now super quick and you can see how much more fun she’s having.

How has the Chaser boosted Pebbles’s agility performance?

Because you can’t use toys in agility competitions, learning how to transfer the drive between having the chaser and not having the chaser is crucial if you ever want to be successful. A lot of dogs don’t reach their potential speed in training, and need a motivation to make them realise they can go faster - this chaser is perfect for that because ability to run quicker can be transferred to competitions. Another option is tugging before going on the agility course to get the dog fired up and raring to go.

How does the Sheepskin Chaser compare to other toys you’ve tried?

We love how fluffy this toy was and it’s much softer than any training toy we’ve had before. Another problem I’ve had with previous toys is how once dirty, they aren’t the same and can only last a certain amount of time before looking really not great... This Chaser however was so easy and quick to clean. We just brushed the sheepskin out with a dog brush and wiped down the handle with a damp cloth and it was back to how it arrived!

Also, its durability is incredible! I’m sure this is going to last years and add to every single training lesson we have. Big paws up from us!

Any advice for others who try the Sheepskin Chaser?

One thing I would recommend to any dog trainers thinking of buying this chaser is to make the toy special. Keep it hidden away and make a huge deal when you get it out to train with and it will become a novelty for your dog - therefore more motivating and more effective.

🐾 Follow Sandy and Pebbles's adventures on Instagram @sandyandpebbles_

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Alice + Dotty

Dotty is a Jack Russell cross who enjoys agility and hoopers, taking classes in both each week. Alice was excited to see if the Sheepskin Chaser could boost her drive….

What appealed to you about the Chaser?

The appeal of the chaser was the large area of sheepskin. I find some toys are quite skimpy with that end but it gives Dotty a chance for a huge bite so she gets the reward of the fuzz without any of the less exciting handle.

How have you used the Chaser as part of your training?

We've used the chaser for all sorts of things! In her foundations it was used for forward drive and things like going through wings. She's had it used as a ‘dead’ toy to drive onto when teaching independence. Mostly though, it has been a great reward for her. She always picks it out of the toy bag! Her brother Bryn also loves it.

What have the main benefits of owning a Sheepskin Chaser been?

The main benefits of the chaser have been it's length. As she's a terrier the chase of the fuzz is the main part of the reward. Because it's long, it moves more, flicks and jumps around a lot more than a toy that hasn’t got the same length. I can also hold it closer if needed as the sheepskin part is nice and long so no bitten hands!

Final thoughts?

The chaser is a great toy that compared to other toys has fared very well between the terriers! It's very well made and enduring. It's definitely passed our test!

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Allen + Echo, Percy & Mia

Allen has three dogs - border collies Percy and Mia and Great Pyrenees, Echo. They take part in agility together and do lots of training around the house, and were interested to discover how the Sheepskin Chaser could take their training up a gear...

How has the Chaser helped with your training?

The chaser has been great for reward play and to lure for recalls and teaching self control.

How does the Chaser compare with other toys you’ve tried?

The chaser gets - and keeps - the attention of all three dogs, whereas with other toys they will get bored or distracted easily.

Any other comments you’d like to share?

With our great pyrenees since he is a bigger and stronger dog when rewarding with a game of tug he almost always ends up pulling out some wool. Also, the length of the leash means it's sometimes difficult to reel it in without getting them excited and jumping for it!

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