Coachi Target Stick Navy/Light Blue

Coachi Target Stick – Navy and Light Blue

A target stick gives you a point in space a dog can follow with its nose, which is how you shape a position without pushing or pulling the dog into it. Coachi’s version telescopes from 15cm closed to 70cm extended, so it drops into a treat bag or a coat pocket and comes out long enough to work a dog at arm’s length.

The target itself is a 30mm ball of soft foam in a bright colour, easy for a dog to pick out against grass or carpet, and the handle is padded so a long session does not leave a ridge in your palm. Company of Animals sell it under their Coachi training line; this is the navy and light blue colourway.

Performance & Benefits

• Telescopic shaft: 15cm retracted, 70cm extended.
• 30mm soft foam target ball, brightly coloured so the dog can find it easily.
• Soft padded handle, comfortable to hold through a long shaping session.
• Closes down small enough for a pocket or treat bag.
• Lets you place a dog into sit, down, heel position or a spin without handling it.
• Pairs naturally with clicker work — mark the moment the nose touches the target.

Suitable For

• Puppies through to adult dogs.
• Positive reinforcement and clicker-based training.
• Teaching position work: sit, down, middle, close heel, send-aways.
• Trick training and canine freestyle shaping.
• Handlers who would rather not bend to lure a small dog with a hand.
• Not a fetch toy or a play item — for interactive play, a thrown toy or a training dummy is the right thing.

How to Use

• Extend the stick to a length that puts the target where your dog’s nose naturally reaches.
• Present the target still; mark and reward the instant the dog touches it with its nose.
• Once the dog follows the target reliably, move it to guide the dog into the position you want.
• Fade the stick out as the behaviour becomes reliable, so the dog is not dependent on it.
• Retract the stick fully before putting it away, and wipe the foam ball clean.

Specification

• Extended length 70cm; retracted length 15cm.
• Target ball 30mm diameter, soft foam.
• Padded handle.
• Colourway: navy with light blue.
• Company of Animals publish no weight or material breakdown for the shaft, so none is stated here.

Care & Caution

• The foam target ball is a swallowable size — do not let the dog mouth or chew it, and put the stick away between sessions.
• Check the foam ball for bites or splits before each use and stop using the stick if it is damaged.
• Never use the stick to prod, tap or move a dog; it is a visual target, not a physical aid.