# TUG - The Game



## CT Girl

I see a lot of people in agility use a tug toy as a reward.


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## Countryboy

CT Girl said:


> I see a lot of people in agility use a tug toy as a reward.


That's what our 'Agility expert' suggested too. I just haven't got off my butt to try it yet. 

Maybe we'll take another run at the Rally course next week. With his tug toy!


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## JE-UK

My miniature ADORES tug games. There are some interesting research findings out there, that seem to indicate that dogs whose owners tug with them have a stronger bond and are more engaged with training. Not sure if it is causation or correlation, but still is yet another reason to play tug. Plus, it's fun :smile:.


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## Jack-A-Poo

Sasha LOVES tug of war games. She'll bring whatever toy she has in her mouth to me and asks for a game of tug. She will however drop the toy if I tell her to "Give" in the middle of the game. But when she's playing tug with my JRTs she will never give and usually always wins the game :laugh:

I have a short video of her playing tug with one of my Jacks, see how persistent she is LOL

18082011045.mp4 video by ginalim2121 - Photobucket


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## JE-UK

There was some interesting research (which I am trying to find again) that looked at a set of dogs playing tug with a) other dogs and b) their owners.

They found that dogs (although seeming to enjoy it) never solicited tug games with each other, that the play was more competitive. 

On the other hand, nearly all the dogs would solicit tug games with their owners, leading the researchers to opine that tug games with people were seen by the dogs as cooperative, bonding activity rather than competitive.


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## Chagall's mom

Jack-A-Poo said:


> Sasha LOVES tug of war games. She'll bring whatever toy she has in her mouth to me and asks for a game of tug. She will however drop the toy if I tell her to "Give" in the middle of the game. But when she's playing tug with my JRTs she will never give and usually always wins the game :laugh:
> 
> I have a short video of her playing tug with one of my Jacks, see how persistent she is LOL
> 
> 18082011045.mp4 video by ginalim2121 - Photobucket


That was hilarious to watch! I love how victory goes to the pretty little poodle girl with the cool hairdo, no questions asked! Good for Sasha, being "dainty" doesn't make her a pushover. Persistence, thy name is Sasha, indeed!


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## outwest

Bonnie loves tug, too. She is annoying sometimes because she is always throwing a rope in my face while I am trying to blob out on the couch. I am glad the experts say it is okay to do it because we do that a lot!


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## Arcticfox

I can't get Tesla to engage in tug games with me. She seems to prefer just chewing on whatever toy we're using on her own. When she takes a toy, she will deliberately lie down facing away from me. o.0
When I offer a tug toy, she'll just chew (constantly adjusting her grip) on the end closest to her but doesn't clamp down. I don't know if it's something wrong with her mouth or bite so that she can't clamp down, or whether she's just not interested in tugging? We have a couple of different toys, a plush duck with a rope for a tail, a ball attached to a rope, a kong wubba octopus, etc. None of them have gotten her to clamp down on it for more than a couple seconds. If I try to shake the toy or pull on it even a little bit, she'll just drop it. Then try to chew it again.


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## Onyx11

Jack-A-Poo said:


> Sasha LOVES tug of war games. She'll bring whatever toy she has in her mouth to me and asks for a game of tug. She will however drop the toy if I tell her to "Give" in the middle of the game. But when she's playing tug with my JRTs she will never give and usually always wins the game :laugh:
> 
> I have a short video of her playing tug with one of my Jacks, see how persistent she is LOL
> 
> 18082011045.mp4 video by ginalim2121 - Photobucket


Gosh Sasha is so cute!!!! I don't think I could say no ever to her!


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## Onyx11

Arcticfox said:


> I can't get Tesla to engage in tug games with me. She seems to prefer just chewing on whatever toy we're using on her own. When she takes a toy, she will deliberately lie down facing away from me. o.0
> When I offer a tug toy, she'll just chew (constantly adjusting her grip) on the end closest to her but doesn't clamp down. I don't know if it's something wrong with her mouth or bite so that she can't clamp down, or whether she's just not interested in tugging? We have a couple of different toys, a plush duck with a rope for a tail, a ball attached to a rope, a kong wubba octopus, etc. None of them have gotten her to clamp down on it for more than a couple seconds. If I try to shake the toy or pull on it even a little bit, she'll just drop it. Then try to chew it again.


Onyx will tug sometimes with me but also constantly adjusting his grip it's like he is trying to get a better grip on it to pull more.


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## Kloliver

outwest said:


> I am glad the experts say it is okay to do it because we do that a lot!


Oh my gosh , YES! Tug is an fun & amazing way to teach bite inhibition, jazz-em up, wind-em-down, out/ give/ release/ drop. It's SO bonding, I agree. When I drop the tug, he brings it back as though to say, "I'm sorry, I'm strong but I'd still like to play so I'll give you another chance. Ready? Hang on this time"


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## JE-UK

Arcticfox said:


> I can't get Tesla to engage in tug games with me. She seems to prefer just chewing on whatever toy we're using on her own. When she takes a toy, she will deliberately lie down facing away from me. o.0
> When I offer a tug toy, she'll just chew (constantly adjusting her grip) on the end closest to her but doesn't clamp down. I don't know if it's something wrong with her mouth or bite so that she can't clamp down, or whether she's just not interested in tugging? We have a couple of different toys, a plush duck with a rope for a tail, a ball attached to a rope, a kong wubba octopus, etc. None of them have gotten her to clamp down on it for more than a couple seconds. If I try to shake the toy or pull on it even a little bit, she'll just drop it. Then try to chew it again.


Is it possible her teeth bother her and that's why she's not interested in tug?

If discomfort is ruled out, I would think it would be easy enough to build tug into a reward using a clicker. I'd offer the toy, and if she takes it, click and treat. Progressively move to clicking for holding the toy longer and longer, then to holding it for gentle tugs, then to holding it for longer tug sessions.

I never had to train mine to tug; he came with tugging pre-installed at the factory :smile:.


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## Arcticfox

JE-UK:
I think it might be because she's teething. I found a tooth on the floor the other day. (She's 4 and a half months). I might have to go find her a better tug toy too, last week she latched onto the rope toy at her puppy class pretty well - it was super frayed on one end. It might be the solid rope/hard knot that she had problems holding onto. How do I find a pre-frayed rope though? Lol


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## BorderKelpie

I was just going to suggest the teething issue. I do bite sports with my GSD, you can always tell when one of the pups in the club is starting to teethe by the way they give up on the tugs. The regripping is a fair indicator of teething, too. 
Just play gently right now until all the teeth are in then have a good tug game. 

Currently, my GSD lets me drag her all the way back to the truck by her ball on a rope. It's a great reward for them.

I just have to remember that my toy poodle is NOT a GSD, although whenever I do forget, she doesn't seem to mind going airborne. She just hangs on and enjoys the ride. Oops.


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## Countryboy

Arcticfox said:


> I might have to go find her a better tug toy too, last week she latched onto the rope toy at her puppy class pretty well - it was super frayed on one end. It might be the solid rope/hard knot that she had problems holding onto. How do I find a pre-frayed rope though? Lol


How good are u at braiding?

I bought a braided tug toy at a dog show last fall. Abt three feet long, made of strips of fabric all braided together and tied off at both ends. It's Tonka's favourite. When any visitors come to the house he immediately goes and gets it . . . looking for a game!


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## zyrcona

This is how I work out these days.


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## CharismaticMillie

A lot of dogs need to be taught to tug. In fact, in my basic manners class that I am taking with Tiger (all positive clicker training/Victoria Stillwell approved trainer), we did work on proper tugging. This meant teaching those who don't want to tug how to tug properly (confidence building to some degree) and those that tug too voraciously can be taught to be more appropriate tuggers.


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## Jacamar

Smooth Fox Terrier versus Spoo


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## Lily's-Mom

This is interesting...I thought playing tug would send the message to the dog that it was OK to pull back when I was trying to get something from them. But I guess if the dog has a good "drop it" command, tug would be fine. I wonder if Lily will play tug. As it is now, she drops every toy we play fetch with right at my feet before I even ask her to drop it.


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