May 17, 2011
I can’t get my puppy to play tug with any type of toy, but he’ll tug on our pants. Do you have any suggestions?
Full Question:
Hello Cindy,I was wondering if I could get some help and advice. I have a German shepherd puppy who is a few months old. Still a baby of course but we have started marker/clicker training as I do with all my dogs. The shepherds I have had in the past all matured slowly but they at least showed some form of prey drive as babies.
This puppy comes from good working lines and is high energy. However, I cannot get him to chase ANYTHING. We have put various tugs on a string, including buffalo hide which my border collies and other shepherds love. We have tried orbee balls, tennis balls, rags, etc. Anything and everything. He will not chase the toys at all and instead tries to climb all over us or check out completely. He has no problem grabbing and tugging with our pant legs and we have tried to keep that drive when he does grab them and direct it onto a rag near our leg. It has not worked. I have a feeling he was not interacted with very much from the breeder and that all he was allowed to do was tug on their pants when they went in and out of the barn. He is not a nervous puppy really, will chase us, jump up on us, and works well for free shaping. I just have never had a puppy who would not at least chase a toy, even if they do not pick it up.
I am about to move on to food toys but wanted to do that as a last resort. We are keeping sessions very short and when he checks out completely and will not check back in, we calmly put him back in the crate and get out another dog to play with in front of him.
I have no problem that he has a short attention span, or that he is not tugging like a fiend at 3 months old. But I needs some help on how I can get him to at least chase the toy...
Thank you so much for your time.
--Christina
Cindy's Answer:
Have you tried using an old pair of jeans as a tug? I recently saw a puppy that was like yours, wouldn’t chase a rag or toy but would tug on peoples’ jeans. I suggested the owner use an old pair of jeans, cut a strip off the leg and use that as a tug and it worked well. The pup eventually transferred over to other toys.
You may also want to make sure you aren’t moving your legs when you try to get the pup to chase a rag or toys. Put the rag/jeans/toy on the end of a horse buggy whip and keep your legs completely still. Maybe even block your legs completely (stand in a box, behind a barrier or fence).
At 3 months old I wouldn’t be too concerned. The fact that he bites and tugs on your pants means he DOES have prey drive, he just needs to learn what to channel it into. *Remember that puppies start teething around 4 months, so if you get him tugging take a break from it during the teething period. You can still play chase games with things; just don’t pull on his mouth.
I’d also recommend these 2 videos.
The Power of Training Dogs with Food
The Power of Playing Tug with Your Dog
You may also want to make sure you aren’t moving your legs when you try to get the pup to chase a rag or toys. Put the rag/jeans/toy on the end of a horse buggy whip and keep your legs completely still. Maybe even block your legs completely (stand in a box, behind a barrier or fence).
At 3 months old I wouldn’t be too concerned. The fact that he bites and tugs on your pants means he DOES have prey drive, he just needs to learn what to channel it into. *Remember that puppies start teething around 4 months, so if you get him tugging take a break from it during the teething period. You can still play chase games with things; just don’t pull on his mouth.
I’d also recommend these 2 videos.
The Power of Training Dogs with Food
The Power of Playing Tug with Your Dog
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