5 Rules of Playing Tug with Your Dog

In this essential training breakdown, Ed Frawley explains the five progressive Rules of Play that transform tug from chaotic wrestling into a powerful obedience and engagement tool. These rules must be taught in order: first, building genuine desire for the toy by sparking prey and play drive; second, teaching the retrieve so the dog learns that bringing the toy back continues the game rather than ending it; third, adding the "out" command at the right developmental stage to avoid suppressing drive; fourth, introducing impulse control so the dog waits for permission before grabbing; and fifth, finding the perfect balance based on the dog's individual temperament—dominant dogs need stricter structure while sensitive dogs require more freedom to build confidence. Ed emphasizes that intensity of play must be adjusted to each dog's personality: possessive dogs get shorter wins to prevent over-possession, while less intense dogs benefit from longer, more active sessions to build drive. When all five rules work in harmony, tug becomes far more than just play—it creates a dog who is motivated, responsive, and sees the handler as the ultimate source of reward and fun.

The Power of Playing Tug

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When people have specific training questions we recommend that they go to our website and post those questions in the ASK CINDY on the front page of leerburg.com. Cindy has been training dogs since she was a teenager and has competed in several dog sports at a regional and national level. She was also a vet tech and owned a boarding/training and grooming business for many years as well as breeding working Dobermans and Belgian Malinois under the kennel name Kaiserhaus.

Questions posted to ASK CINDY are answered almost every day. They are also recorded in our systems if a dog owner has additional questions Cindy will review the previous Q&As and this helps her give better feedback and assistance.