# How to teach tug?



## Kay8 (Jan 9, 2013)

I keep reading and hearing that playing tug is a great motivational/training tool and a decent way to get your dog's heart-rate up if stuck indoors. But... how do you teach it? My pup (V mix) loves the floppy tug toy I got, and will happily chase it and chew it, but the moment I give it even the most gentle jiggle or pull, he drops it. Is there a way to train him to hang on and get into the game?

Thank you again for all the help you've offered in the past few months!


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## haefen (Jan 5, 2011)

You'll probably get better answers than this, but one thing that really worked with my dog was to let her "win" really easily in the beginning. If she'd tug even a little bit I'd drop it and then praise her loads for being sooooo strong!


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## Suliko (Sep 17, 2011)

I have two experiences. With my oldest V Sophie it pretty much happened automatically while playing. She's not a dominant dog at all and letting her win didn't make her feel like she's the "alpha"...she just became more naughty and kept bringing (and still brings) toys to play with. My youngest V Pacsirta doesn't understand the concept of the tug. Same as you, as soon as I reach for a toy, she'll drop it. However, once in a while I do see the two of them together playing tug with a tennis ball or a bone...which looks kinda funny :-[


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## Vizsla Baby (Nov 4, 2011)

I have two Vizsla's who are voracious tuggers - they have at least 3-4 good tug matches in the yard every day. I never taught them to do it, they just did it. They have never tugged with us, only with other dogs. The V we raised from a pup probably picked it up at the dog park when she was playing with other dogs - you know, keep away & stuff like that.

Our dachshund never tugged, don't know why, he just wasn't interested. 

It is a great rainy day activity, but it does not wear them out - they need full on cardio to do that.


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

I've never had to teach tug. If Willie gets bored, he brings me a toy and invites me to play a quick game of tug. ;D Sorry, but I don't have a clue about how you would go about teaching it.


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

I've never played tug with Ruby, and discouraged my two young sons from doing it too, I believe it makes dogs "hard mouthed" and unwilling to part with shot game.


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## WillowyndRanch (Apr 3, 2012)

Intellectual Property removed by Author.


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## Kay8 (Jan 9, 2013)

WillowyndRanch said:


> harrigab said:
> 
> 
> > I've never played tug with Ruby, and discouraged my two young sons from doing it too, I believe it makes dogs "hard mouthed" and unwilling to part with shot game.
> ...


Ah, I hadn't realized. I won't be doing any field work with him, and he's really great about not touching things that aren't toys, but maybe I shouldn't mess with his natural inclinations on this one. (We're starting a basic obedience class this week and I know they want us to bring a tug toy to use for reward breaks, so we'll have to see how that pans out...)


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## yv0nne (Aug 25, 2012)

No idea if you're still interested but I compete in agility so building tug drive was crucial to building drive& toy rewards 
She works for a ball (built reward into it ..similar concept) but works for a tug just as well now!

http://copperchaos.wordpress.com/2013/11/21/tug-drive/


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