Sam The Dog Trainer - Dog Training - Behaviorist

Don't Use Sticks For Fetch?

Don't throw a stick for Spot - he might injure himself. Really. It seems that there is a previously unremarked-upon and sizeable pack of man's best friend who do themselves a mischief in any given year as a result of the old stick-throwing game. Many injuries are minor, we are told by Professor Dan Brockman of the Royal Veterinary College, but others run the gamut from acute to chronic to life-threatening - to do with the pointiness and dirtiness of many sticks and the ease with which one of these spear-like missiles can pierce a doggy hide - often made worse, presumably, by the embarrassment of the owner at having to admit how their shaggy mutt's injury was sustained.

I never use sticks as toys for this very reason.