I'm going through the stages of training introduced in the "Training Drive, Grip and Focus" and "Preparing your dog for the Helper". I have a 15 month old Rottweiler bitch. She has a lot of prey drive and interest in the tug and will iniate the game and will take full grips on the tug (she wouldn't grip the ball correctly, she kept targeting the string). She is not chewy except when we do the "into my arms". I think the problem is I stole the tug when she wasn't looking too many times, so now she thinks everytime she comes into the arms, she looses the tug. I'm trying to get her to keep a firm hold on the tug. So I went back and I just have her in my arms for a second or two and she gets chewy. I've been going back and instead of stealing the tug from her, I make slow movements so she see's my hands coming and will grip firmer, and we fight like that and she gets praise. Is this correct or is there another way to go back and firm up her grip on the tug so she doesn't loose it? I am using the pocket prey tug right now. Our sessions are generally 10 minutes or less. She is not chewy during the carry.

Any advice is appreciated <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Dana,

I think your correct on letting her see your hand come up to grab the tug and play with her. 10 minutes is too long though, you should only be doing it for 2 or 3 minutes......get a timer if you have to.

If she is chewy in your arms, then don't keep her in your arms very long........but run her again as soon as she starts to chew. I would keep her in your arms longer only if she is not chewing.........also give her a command like "No Chew". You want her to be relaxed and comfortable in your arms.

I did two sessions today, one in the morning where she acted "off"....seeming to get tired of the game and wasn't really gripping the tug and prematurely outted it a few times. So I did an additional session a few hours later, maybe 3-4 minutes and her grip was fine and I gave her lots of praise for holding onto it and fighting with it and she seemed to make a lot of strides. I also changed from the into my arms to just leaning over and patting her while she's in motion. She wasn't chewing at all. So I'll keep my sessions much shorter and work on the "into my arms". <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Yeah, that is good that you just patted her side while she was in motion and she did not chew. In time you can gradually get her closer and longer in your arms as she gets more comfortable.

Should I perhaps switch her to a bigger tug as well? Since she's been on the pocket tug, she's gripping the ball much better (targeting the ball, not the string). At what point do we graduate to a bigger tug? She's gripping/fighting much better. Should I wait until I'm able to take her into my arms?

If your doing grip work, then I would use a tug. If the pocket tug seems too small, then switch to the bigger tug........use a tug that your dog likes.