Tips on how to use ball throwing toy please!!

[thwinka]

Any tips greatfully received I have brought one of these ball throwing on a stick things(sorry,but dont know how else to describe it!!) and I can't work out how to use it properly Not sure if I'm being a bit thick or if there's a knack to using them? I have spent an hour practising with it in the garden but every time I throw it the ball shoots straight out to the ground, even if I'm not aiming it in the direction of the damn ground!!
My dog is running around the place desperate to run after the ball and shooting me severe looks of frustration every time. Is it meant to be this hard? Everyone else seems to be using them with such ease I'm to embarressed to take it down the park with us!!

Wide arc from down behind your shoulder and then stop the motion when the stick thing is just short of the back of your head so that the ball flies long. Any later stopping the swing and it hits the ground straight in front of you. Smooth swing and sudden stop seems to be key.

I'm pretty hopeless with it but my sons can throw it for miles.

I think you need to use an over arm throw if that helps?

Over arm, like bowling in cricket, and sort of flick it as you reach the top of the swing. Commit and launch

It helps if you did lacrosse at school. Although it's about the only thing that doing lacrosse at school has ever proved useful for.

But yes, got to be an over-arm throw and a flick.

Make sure the ball is firmly in and you can use it overarm or underarm ,it sounds like you're ball is too loose IYSWIM.

They are definitely more trouble than they are worth Took ball swinger to park, followed advice( thankyou poster's) kind of got the hang of it, think I wasn't putting enough strength into the throw(iykwim) earlier.
The scraps that it has caused though My dog isn't the most sociable at the best of times but every time I threw the damn thing you have dogs appearing from everywhere trying to chase it. My dog was hugely pissed off and has saw off 6 dogs today who dared to go near his ball.Do others have this issue when they use ball slingers? I've always taught my dog not to chase after other dogs balls. Or am I just a bit to uptight Possibly easier to leave it at home next time perhaps

Oh no thwinka don't stop your dog chasing his ball.

My dog, like yours, is only interested in her own ball, but we're constantly having to ask for our ball back from other dog's owners and it can be a pita. She gets such enjoyment out of her ball I wouldn't dare go to the park without it.

It would be a shame to stop taking it but does your dog exept it politely when other dogs have his ball? It would be fine if he politely waited for it to be returned, but he has growled and snapped at all 6 of these dogs today who dared to run up to his ball.What is the doggy etiquate in these situations? I can see my dogs point in that it is HIS ball but I certainly don't want a dog scrap on my hands if he is going to be that possesive of it It was funny though to see him manically chasing after this ball, especially as he is 1/2 Chihuahua The tennis ball is almost as big as his head

I always have a spare ball with me ,my dog is quite polite about waiting to have a ball returned but sometimes I just don't have the necessary 2 hours to wait whilst someone tries to catch their dog ( usually a Labrador ) to return the original ball . Don't stop taking it ,it sounds like your dog really enjoyed it .

I also take a couple of balls with me just in case.

Regarding her reaction, it depends on the circumstances thwinka. If she's standing near her ball she will growl and snap, but if another dog gets it while she's not near it she'll stand there looking all glum and look from me to the other dog as if expecting me to 'do something about it', usually that involves me also looking glum and asking the owner to get it back, which as you say Floral seems to take forever.

My dog is also small so I can understand your concern at having your dog growling at much bigger dogs. If it did end up in a scrap the smaller dog would doubtless come out of it worse.

I usually just take myself to another part of the park and keep my eyes open for thieving dogs. After all your dog has a right to enjoy his time in the park too.

My dog is quite ball possessive (of her ball she will give anyone else's back no trouble...but will chase it ). I don't take it with us to the small park as there are usually too many dogs and too small a space (shame as this is when she could do with a bit more to do) but reserve it for the big park where i can make sure to fling it in a direction where she will be the first to it...thus no problem.