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The Power of Playing Tug with your Dog (Full Version)

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Uploaded on November 27, 2012 • 5 hr, 27 min

I have been around higher levels of dog training for a long long time and thought I knew a thing or two about how to play tug with your dog. When I started to go to Michael Ellis' seminars I found out there was an entirely different side to this work - a better side.

Since 1982 I have produced a lot of training DVDs, but hands down the ones I have done (and am doing) with Michael are the ones I am most proud of. These DVDs are going to make a dramatic difference on how people live with and train their dogs. They are changing the relationship people have with their dogs.

There was just so much great information that I wanted to get into this training DVD that I had to make it this long. I believe you will agree when you study it.

This DVD on playing tug is the second video in the Building Drive and Focus Series with Michael Ellis. The first DVD, The Power of Training Dogs with Food, and this DVD, teach new trainers how to establish the foundation of Michael Ellis's training system on their dogs. Once that is accomplished, the principles of Michael's system can be used to teach a dog any behavior or exercise.

Michael's system is based on marker training or operant conditioning. If you are new to markers or new to Michael Ellis' system of dog training I would recommend you view the free 1 hour streaming video of Michael lecturing on his philosophy of dog training in the streaming video section of our web site.

You should also review the free 87 page eBook I wrote titled "The Power of Training Dogs with Markers." It is in the list of free eBooks on our web site.

Our DVD opens with Michael's lecture on why and how to play tug with your dog. Michael then demonstrates technique with his dog Pi. Unlike other dog training DVDs most of the dogs I included were untrained dogs with handlers new to this system of training. I feel people learn more from watching others learn the work than by only watching the instructor work with his own dog.

For the tug to be used as an obedience reward with your dog, you must have 3 things.

The dog must tug with enthusiasm,
The dog must out when told to out,
The dog must bring the tug back after you release it.

This is the core goal of our training DVD. If dogs will not do these three things then handlers can not use a toy or a tug as a reward in training.

Comments

Average rating:

4.8 stars (699 ratings)

Tcouncil

July 4, 2024

Lots of good information. It's nice to see different handler and dogs work. Definitely worth the price

staffydog

February 15, 2024

The content in this video is great and I will refer back to it in the future and as usual Michael gives lots of good training information.
What lets it down though is the long chapters and the poor quality sound and filming.

JesseBurgess

March 15, 2023

Perfect.

ddmsolutionsinc

February 10, 2023

Excellent videos by Michael Ellis. Always very informative.

Abarron

July 21, 2022

I bought this video along with pretty much every video of Michael's almost a decade ago. I have watched these videos I don't even know how many times but I've watched them over again and again A LOT, this video in particular. Recently I purchased a new Dutch shepherd puppy and hit a small snag in our tug game, and I wasn't sure where to turn so I just turned on this video and I had my problem solved within 5 minutes. There is so much information in this body that even after almost a decade and multiple rewatches and about 4 years of teaching other people to play tug with their dogs, I still learn something every time I turn this video on.

txdobergirl

May 26, 2022

I don't have a problem with the content so much although it is a bit disjointed. This Video in particular, the chapters don't always line up with the content. Also, on all the videos I have to make my own 'sub-chapters'. So it takes much longer to get thru the videe. There maybe something I want to revisit somewhere in the hour long chapter that has about 20 subchapters, There was a LOT of repetition in this video. When I saw it was 5:27 minutes long I about fell off my chair,,,

searchdogfoundation

October 19, 2021

I LOVE the teaching of engagement with food first, then transferring the game over to the toy. I learned how important the handler's job with movement and proper presentation of reward keeps the dog engaged. When done correctly the dog's drive increases and the game is great fun for both!

Alexispaulg

April 9, 2020

Seriously best video for anyone needing to learn techniques and why tug game is important.

bkaufman625

January 12, 2020

I believe my 1 1/2 year old malinois is just one of those not interested in playing tug. Wish I had seen this a year ago when she came to live with us. I loved the videos with Michael giving instruction. The information is valuable and can be used as awareness when I train. Glad I made it through the 5 1/2 hours.

MarkBauer

January 3, 2020

I have lived with German Shephard for all my life. I have had 2 of work dog blood lines that were crazy on pray drive. This is the first video that explains the movements of playing tug. How to activate a dog correctly and clearly. My only complaint is that I did not have this source of information when I needed it 15 years ago.

Mwengloski

December 31, 2019

The content is great and I like what Michael has to say but it’s a crime that this has not been updated and produced properly. This video could be condensed to about 2 hours. Still giving it 5 stars because the content is there and I don’t think it’s fair to rate it poorly based on athletics and production value.

Cardioboy

February 16, 2019

Gives direction to trainers needed for timing and guidance as to the appropriate time to tug with a dog

gbarsha

February 4, 2019

The video is not organised as per the chapters mentioned. That means it would be very difficult to consult the video at a later stage. I hope Leerburg re-organises the video in the chapters mentioned.

Also the review in-between done by Ed Frawley could move a lot faster. That way you can reduce the length of the video.

Catahoulapup

March 28, 2018

Fantastic video! I just wish I would’ve watched it much sooner. Great clips and examples across the board. Real life training examples and ways to correct handler issues. I took advantage of “notes” section so I could quickly refer to examples. Great advantage of streaming. Keep up the good work!

deangelr

November 25, 2017

This is a great dvd and by far the best of the dvd's I have watched from leerburg so far.. It even makes me a little upset that I had already watched the 'Advanced concepts in building motivation' DVD as this tug dvd has way more good stuff in it on how to build motivation..

I agree with the other reviews that the quality of this DVD is terrible, the audio is terrible as well.. It appears that is what filmed in the 90's.

The other issue I have with this DVD is that all of the dogs in it are mallinois.. I get that the mallinois is the best breed as a working dog, but many of us have other breeds of working dogs.. It would be nice to see and have Michael not specific characteristics of some of the other working dog breeds that may differ from what we see in this DVD with the Mal.. For example, I have a corso, and am curious if corso's in general are capable the sort of in your face jumping with the tug as the Mal..

Finally, in Michaels dvd on using E-collars, he says that e-collars are pervasive in dog training.. this is true.. and I use one everyday. In my uneducated opinion, an e-collar would be a far better correction that using a prong in these tug games..

Why doesn't Michael address the use of E-collars and any of the other DVD's.. I find this odd, because there is some many repeated concepts in all other DVD's

scderry

November 4, 2017

Content fantastic - it's Micheal Ellis! I've rated it low purely because of the disappointing quality as a streaming video.
In a perfect world, it would be re-shot as a high-quality 2-hour video.

Pilo3

May 30, 2017

Wow can't believe how powerful this DVD is. After watching it I had a totally different dog(handler lol). I never could get him to out and in one session was able to start outing. I will be ordering more dvd's thanks leerburg for sharing knowledge

mspayde

January 4, 2017

FANTASTIC TRAINING VIDEO. I would suggest that you still seek a personal contact training professional, but this training fills in all of the gaps (why, how, when).

Libbysbeans

November 19, 2016

If you want to know how to play tug...this is where you'll learn it. Great video, lots of great videos and pointers. At times I found it repetitive and this made it harder to watch. May be because I've watched too much Ellis videos (not sure this is possible) but because the foundation of training is similar it does become repetitive. It is an excellent video, but if your an Ellis fan be ready for some repeat. Still 100% worth it!!!!

BRoza00

November 14, 2016

This is an amazing DVD, always a huge fan of Michael's work. I will agree that this DVD is super long, but the amount of exercises and live seminars give you an idea of how to control a wide rang of dogs, possessive, inattentive, or highly scared and unsure. I have created an insane amount of notes- showing that I have much to learn as a handler. Michael, amazing work as always. The men behind the scenes, Leerburg, you, too, are amazing!

hughsale

September 1, 2016

We are in the process of getting a new puppy. This video will help us get our puppy started on the right foot. Great stuff.

jodieweech

July 3, 2016

Awesome video! I've never had so much "FUN" fun working my dogs on a new behavior. I love Ed's Reviews and all of the small training clips of other handlers just learning the tug. I absolutely LOVE Micheal Ellis's calm, relaxed and precise way of teaching. He is very a wonderful teacher! Being able to pause and make notes during the online streaming is a fantastic and convenient tool!

sandramore

June 10, 2016

Great video. As others have said, it's nice to know that those of us who have been playing tug in spite of what the "experts" said, were doing the right thing for our dogs. This video made it easy to learn the proper way to play with the tug, meaning Mike has added structure, fun training and reward value to playing tug with the dogs. I've some work to do with my dog, as she will play for a little while, but then she'll drop off the tug and go lie down. I'm not sure why she does this, but I'm working on it. During our first tug session after watching Mike's video, I screwed up and set myself up to get bitten. Nothing like learning the hard way.

Mikemosby

April 17, 2016

5 hours is soo long! There is such great information in here but could have been conveyed in 1 hour. A large portion of the 5 hours is just clips of Michael working with owners at his seminars. It is great to see the live examples but it would be helpful if they were organized into individual chapters so you can watch them selectively. The whole DVD just needs better organization. I'm half way through and I'm not positive how to introduce tug to a dog who doesn't know the game yet. The information is awesome! Just needs an editor.

MelBlacke

April 5, 2016

To this day, I still hear that playing tug with your dog is a bad thing. I also had the good sense to identify that advice as the absolute NONSENSE that it is. I have always played tug with my dogs and many people have commented that my dogs would crawl into my skin with me if they could figure out a way to do it. This DVD will allow me to take my play relationship with my new puppy up a couple of notches. The game will now become much more productive for the two of us. It never occurred me to use it to accomplish specific things in training. This is a neat video.

RichardC

August 30, 2015

Fantastic video !!!

rayturnbow

August 23, 2015

Great video! Really helped me understand how to tug better.

Scottyland479

December 18, 2014

So much to learn, so little time!!! Thank you both Ed & Michael for putting together such an informative training tool, which I now need to put into practice, practice, practice.

fionawillstead

November 28, 2014

Awesome
As a wheelchair user the demo of Out and tug sat on a chair was very inspiring the inclusion of the puppy working with food in the same way as you would a tug or ball on a string was eye opening.
Time for me to practice presentations and wheelchair driving skills in the gym dance studio before I reintroduce a tug to my new dog.
If you can get both this and the power of training dogs with food you will not be disappointed.

carolbrown

August 21, 2014

Great video! Took one week to turn my Brittany from ho-hum about tug into tug being a major reward. while we still have a few bobbles on the "out" he definitely realizes the game is no fun without me and will reliably bring it back & sit or down or recall just to keep the game going! Another great Leerburg video.

Jenk513

April 24, 2014

This DVD covers all the details of playing tug with your dog. I have been using the techniques shown in this DVD with my now 7 month old GSD and the results have been amazing. We are still working on having him bring the tug back right away when I release it but its slowly getting better.

joeylowe

January 28, 2014

I've been kind of lost with everything that should be done when first training a dog. This video allayed almost all of my concerns. Well done!

diggybreiling

August 1, 2013

I learned a tremendous amount from this video and from the Power of Training Dogs with Food. When I purchased the video I had been training my 1.5 year old Mal for about 4 months (she was a rescue). I backed up and used the ME system and now she pays much better attention to me (she's expecting me to play, wanting me to play, activating me to play), she is much more engaged in the exercises and less distracted. I think this video was fantastic. Thank You for making this training available.

GroupEspada

March 15, 2013

Great video - that really does much more then to show you how-to play Tug, but how to build a strong foundational relationship with your dog and use that as a platform for further training.