Tug-of-War, Pro's and Con's

[Remy]

Good Morning

 

I have heard that playing tug of war with your puppie is not a good thing to do, has something to do with the puppy gaining to much of a domineering trait!?

 

Any advice or experiance would be helpful!

[Pat W.]

Oh my goodness that is the silliest thing I have ever heard. LOL However my now 20 mo old was given to rescue at 10 wks for just such a reason...he growled when he tugged! Whim although he thinks he should be top dog over my very bossy aussie, is in no way dominate over me. Just remember you control the game if your pup gets too over the top or tries to run the game then it stops. Whim knows the command "Give" which means give up the toy and will stop tugging on that command. He loves to tug all my dogs do 3 bc's and 1 aussie none have ever been "too dominate" because of tugging. So in short tug away have fun but you're the boss.

[Tranquilis]

I really don't understand where the fear over "tug-o-war" started - I've played this game with every dog I've ever owned, and not a one of them ever pulled "dominance" games on me. Mind you, I've always made a point of ending the game on a 'winning' note, but not so much because I was a-feared of my dog somehow getting the upper hand on me, but because that's just how I am - I'm the human, they're the dog, and I win. Period. Or maybe it's just that my natural mode is pretty dominant anyway.

 

I have absolutely no problem with a dog growling whilst playing tug-o-war with me - It's a game, and play growling is fine with me - I growl right back at them. When the game's over, it's over, and the growling goes right back in its bottle, or there are consequences. Every one of my dogs has understood that too.

 

I'll grant that I'm a big, self-confident guy, and that my methods work for me and my dogs, but may not work for anyone else. Still, I see many of these "Oh no! Your dog is taking charge!" theories to be so much blather.

 

As for the value of tug of war, I like it a lot - It gets me direct physical interaction with my dog, and allows me to wear them out. As far as I'm concerned, a tired dog is a good dog. Nothing like a nice vigorous tug-o-war, for that!

[MaggieDog]

I teach all my students how to play tug of war appropriately:

 

1. Control access to the tuggy (i.e. put it up when you aren't playing and only use designated toys)

2. Periodically ask the dog to give it up mid-game, then do a sit or down to restart play

3. No dog teeth on human skin EVER; game ends *immediately* if I feel teeth.

4. Control the start and end of the game; the dog never gets to demand play and always stop when they want more

 

I use tug as a reward for Z in agility - If tug made dogs aggressive then the majority of agility and flyball dogs would be vicious.

[Shetlander]

That was the common thought back in the 80's but nowadays sports people are always encouraging tug as a primary motivator. They have articles and workshops on getting your dog to tug. Some people go so far as to say if your dog won't tug, then you won't be able to achieve as much as you would with a dog of similar talents who will tug. For Flyball I've heard it is much more important that the dog wants to tug than be ball crazy. And even without using tug in the context of sports, it is just a very fun game for many dogs.

 

Tugging will not make your dog too dominant or aggressive. You do want to make sure your dog understands the rules for tugging (no teeth on the skin, let go when told) but those are easy enough to teach. I used a technique Susan Garrett described where you take hold of the dog's collar, and put slack in the tug toy, while saying your command for let go (out, give, etc.). That way the dog can't keep self-rewarding but continuing to tug. Because I must have gotten too lax with the verbal prompt, Quinn is much better about letting go as soon as I touch his collar or even reach for it than when I tell him to give. But he understands the rules which is good because he can get into high drive when he plays despite being a fairly submissive, easy to get along with boy.

[Seelie Fey]

Tug is actually involves a great deal of cooperation. If one just drags the other around, it's no fun. Actually getting the tug toy from the other is no fun. If you start to do this with your dog, you will see, if the dog accidently rips it out of your hands, they will often hold it out and wait for you to grab it again. People often are perplexed with how you get the tug away from the dog at the end of the run in flyball - just let go. The dog drops the now boring toy.

 

Seelie offers tug games with bits of paper, rubber bands, all sorts of fragile items that she discards as no value if she isn't playing tug.

 

(However, I taught one of my dogs self control and bite inhibition by play wrestling with him, so I may be a bad example.

[DTrain]

You have some good advise, control the game and use it as a teaching tool. Play tug with your dog as often as you can. It is fun for you and the dog. Tug is a part of development. Have you ever watched a group of puppies play tug. Even wild canines do it. I have a 1 year old who plays tug with my adult dogs. The adults usually control the game. My dominant dog ( the father ) plays tug with the puppy all the time and never fails to win. The puppy knows where he stands in the group. I use games including tug in training. Often the puppy will bring a tug toy to my wife and I. We will play but end the game in own own time. Sometimes we ask the dog to get his tug toy and we start a game with him. I think this helps develop a relationship with the dogs. It is also fun to teach the dog the difference between tug and giving up a toy. It is a lot of fun to teach the dog the names of toys and objects and ask the dog to get an object. It keeps them very busy and they love the game. Play and have fun.

[Remy]

Thank you 'All" for your advice, I have learnd a lot and so has Remy, I use the tug as a reward now and a training tool and I also put it away on a good note!!

 

Thank you again,

 

My Girl Remy Appreciates your Advice

 

Darwin

[nancy]

Fergie loves to play tug - with those rope toys or with her dollies. And she sure growls. In fact, the only time she has ever growled is when she plays tug.

 

We taught her to "give" when we started playing - when we got her. She was 10-11 weeks old. If I put my hand to her mouth, she drops the toy. But, until then, she growls and yanks and snaps her head from side to side.

 

With us.

 

When my Mom was alive and visited us, Ferg would take her rope over to Mom and put it in her lap. Then she'd play the gentlest game of tug imaginable. Mom was 82 when they started this game. And it continues at every visit 'til Mom died at 88. And it was Ferg who decided to play that way - no input from us.

[Bo Peep]

When my two play tug with themselves- Usher, my cute little friendly guy- looks like a pitbull attack. He DOES move his jaw side to side in a ripping sort of mode and handler beware, don't get in-between these two dogs, they are in it for the WIN. Now, one on one, it's different. They are so cute BUT- this is NOT just a pit bull thing.