Leerburg | Q&A Playing Tug with your Dog

on Playing Tug with Your Dog

I have a 2 year old GSD that I started tugging with and she loves it. The only problem is that she wants to put her paws up on my arms while she is tugging. How can I correct this?
My dogs like to play tug but they prefer other toys. Should I put away all the other toys and make their fun revolve around tugs until the game is more firmly established?

1. Question:

I just finished with the new Tug DVD, which by the way is terrific. I have a 2 year old GSD that I started tugging with and she loves it. The only problem is that she wants to put her paws up on my arms while she is tugging. She puts a lot of force behind it, so it can be quite painful, plus takes some of the fun away from it. How can I correct this?

Thanks,
Melissa

Answer:

Hi Melissa,

My friend had this issue with her dog and this is what we tried.

1) You can keep a leash on the dog (on a flat collar) and step on the leash fairly short while the dog is tugging. This will block the dog from jumping up, and you can mark it with a NO when she tries to jump up and reinforce her with GOOD when she stays in proper position.

2) You can tug lower with her, keeping all 4 of her feet on the floor.

3) Make sure when you are playing with the dog that you are tugging from side to side instead of always centered directly in front of your body.

4) Keep your tug sessions short between OUTS, so she doesn’t have time to get her feet up.

I hope this helps! Cindy

2. Question:

Hi Cindy,

I have a semi-stupid question for you. I can also ask next week but it is really bothering me. It has to do with the power of playing tug. I am a little stuck.

Both my dogs like to play tug but they like other toys a little better. I know I can manipulate what they play with. On a normal day I will do a couple marker training session for behaviors with food and that is all fine. During separate sessions I use the tug working on having them drive it back to me. So it is tug tug tug (at the appropriate level of intensity for the dog, I think) let them have it coax them to bring it back (just like in the video) they bring it back but just not like they would with a different toy.

For example due to snow,we play with those flying squirrels. With the frisbee they will tug with much more intensity. But as M.E. says it is a terrible thing to use later for obedience due to size, not to mention cost of replacing the things all the time.

So during a regular day we play with tugs and frisbess. I can probably answer my own question, but, should I just ditch the frisbees for the time being until we have the tugging issues worked out. Using the frisbees, I always have in the back of my mind I am making all the fun away from me which I dont want, right? The other thing is playing frisbee provides good exercise for them. Should I just find other ways (long walks) for the exercise for the time being.

Also I should say, I have an assortment to tugs, jute, leather, firehose, synthetic, I rotate them for different biting surfaces, Jaz, the black GSD pup likes jute a little better but generally doesn't care which tug.

Here is what I was thinking. Just put away all other toys and make their life revolve around the tugs until we have the game established and find other ways to get good daily exercise, a tired puppy is a good puppy.

Does this make sense?

Thanks,
Scott

Answer:

I think this is a great question for Michael, but if my dogs were this way I would remove the “favorite” toys and get them to engage with the toys I choose. Toys that you throw AWAY give the dog the satisfaction AWAY from you, which is ok if you have a dog that is really engaged with you all the time but if you struggle with equipment and toy bias this is not optimal.

The end goal is for your dogs to play with you anytime, anywhere and with anything. My dogs will play with a piece of lint or a pine cone if that’s what I have handy.

If your dogs are tugging with intensity, it can provide a lot of exercise too. I know that Rush is worn out after a vigorous session of tugging with me.

Cindy

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