A Long Time Leerburg Favorite is back!

The Snap Open Bait Bag is great for training sessions with your dog. With a French hinge sewn into the opening of the bag, a trainer can easily pop the bag open or snap it close with one free hand. Comfortably holds up to 3 cups of food or training treats.

My 13 year old dog doesn’t seem to want to play tug outdoors anymore, is it too much to expect an older dog to play tug?

I am returning to training an older pet dog that I had stopped training due to work and personal difficulties. He is 13 years old and does not seem to want to play tug outdoors anymore. He will occasionally bring me a tug toy if I leave it on the ground in our room but he built a lot of bad habits playing informal games of tug with my mother while I was away.

Is it too much to expect of this older dog that he play tug with me? He acts like he has been beaten when I show him a tug toy but will bring me one sometimes so I'm not sure how to reward him since this used to be his favorite means of reward.

Not looking for a lot just want to build a solid recall.

Leerburg's Answer:

I'd get him checked out by a vet or good canine chiropractor. All of my older dogs like the idea of playing tug but the truth is they often have physical deficits and diminished strength that may make the actual tugging part of the game uncomfortable or even painful for them. Even if they seem invested in the game they often have pain later or the next day due to muscle loss and stiffness. My old dog Rush would have done bitework or played tug at any opportunity but his old body would make him pay with pain and stiffness the next day. I had to find other ways of rewarding him or tone the game down by just letting him possess the tug and making a big fuss about him and not actually doing any tugging.

Can you use a very high-value food for the recall training outdoors and IF he shows interest in the tug just give it to him and don't really tug? Read more.