I suck!! I was playing tug with my girl and she was just mucking around, mouthing the tug and kept working her way down to my hands where I'd have to release the hand or get bit, she normally hangs on and tugs hard but she even let go when I had her off the ground for a second and fell awkwardly on the ground, I was getting frustrated (really should've stopped) but kept thinking just one good bite/hold for a few seconds and I'll leave it be, so I've released the tug and she's laid down to chew on it and I've grabbed it to take it away and it got sorta stuck under her leg so I yanked it and one of the handles smacked her in or near her eye! I went on to do some other stuff, retrieve and heeling, which she did fine and tried to go back to the tug and nothing, I was able to get her to chase it kinda andafter awhile and she'd bite but release immediately. Have I killed what little drive she had? Is this easy to do? and is it possible to fix?? I felt terrible when she yelped and she's my favorite girl but I REALLY want her to do competition obedience and don't want to mess her up! BTW the ME playing tug with your dog dvd is going on first thing in the morning!

Leave the tug alone for 2 or 3 days and then quietly reintroduce it into your play with just real quick very short play and then move on to something else.
Give her a chance to let the hurt fade from her mind.

It'll be fine, don't push it and go at her pace.


If my dog isn't learning, I'm doing something wrong.
Randy

Thankyou Randy, I'll give it a go!

I had a similar problem when my dog got one of her nails caught in my pantleg while playing tug. We were playing and all of a sudden she yelped, and then she refused to play tug for a week.


If you follow Randy's advice it should get better.

Thanks Lauren, it's good to know been working on he drive for ages I'd REALLY hate to mess her up!

When you start back up? Don't do this:

 Quote:

I had her off the ground

The dog should have the advantage of four feet to fight with- a lot of young dogs get anxious when you lift them up.

Thanks Aaron I'll remember that!