I have a 5 month old, 40lb. Boxer, American Pit Bull Terrier mix. This is, hands down, his favorite thing to play with. It works out a ton of energy and he is calmer after playing with it.
A few Tips for anyone with a highly energetic dog that likes this style of play:
If you have a super engaged pup that is all about the chase/tug game - watch the end of of the stick "handle". It is metal and my dog will try to get that end. You don't want your dog full force grabbing the metal, so plan in advance to give them a correction if they go for that part.
You can absolutely use this toy to also help with obedience. It is an excellent option for reinforcing sit, wait, drop, and break/ok/get it, and even recall if you have dog sit/stay and then walk away and ask them to come to you. For a dog who enjoys this type of play, it's an excellent way to reinforce those skills in exciting environment. Before we play, I have my pup sit and wait, and he will now not go for it until I say "ok get it" - if he went for it without waiting, I'd remove it upwards. So in one day, we had that figured out. It makes it easier to control the excitement haha. Also, I will randomly ask him to drop it and he's learning quickly to let go.
Do limit the time you play with this if you have an intensive puller/runner/jumper. This is hard core cardio if the dog is into it, and you CAN over work them - especially in hot weather. Remember to have water breaks. I've limited our sessions to 5-7 minutes of intense play about 3 or 4 times a day.
Also - don't do this right after a meal. Let that belly settle first.
This is the best toy I've purchased for my high energy boy, highly recommend.
