Tug-of-War

This is a controversial subject, and some trainers now advise owners to teach tug games to their dogs, if they follow some basic rules. I agree that tug can be a great way to exercise your dog and a great way to teach emotional control. However, you can get your dog into trouble with tug games.

 Tug-of-War seems to be a game that all puppies like to play, so what’s the harm in it, right? Personally, I never play tug-of-war with my dogs. Whether it be a Chihuahua or mastiff, I don’t want any dog to think that she can engage in a contest of strength with me, even if I know I can win every time.

 If you have a bulldog or a powerful-breed dog, I strongly urge you not to get into this habit, no matter how cute your pup looks as she tries to tear your favorite sock from your grasp. Dogs love these games, but they can often bring out a predatory drive in them, and this can create obsessive behavior that you may find hard to tone down in the future.

 You also never want a dog that thinks it can “own” something that belongs to you. In your puppy’s world, you own everything, and you give permission to play with certain things. If your dog is holding an object and you want it, he must know that he should drop it the moment you ask for it. This is the rule of law I advise you to set down at an early age, so it will continue throughout your dog’s life.

 In their natural pack, however, puppies will frequently engage in this kind of game with their littermates. If you more than one dog, supervised tug-of-war games between puppies can fulfill your puppy’s desire to engage in this kind of sport without teaching him any bad habits that will come back to haunt you later. Dogs love challenges, and competition is always challenging.

I always intercede in any dog-dog tug-of-war games, making sure everyone knows that the minute I arrive, the toy is surrendered to me. That way I always can stop or start a play session in a split second if I sense it is getting out of hand.