laying Tug Games... Safely

Playing Tug Games... Safely!

Are you as confused as I was about whether or not to play tug of war with your dog? Over the years, theorists have shuttled between good and bad interpretations of the simple act of yanking at an object with your best four-pawed pal.

Happily, you can play healthy tug games with your dog. Just keep in mind what the meaning of these games is from a pooch-point-of-view, and make sure pup follows a few simple—but critical—guidelines.

When I was a kid, we played tug games without a second thought. We always let our portly beagle win. I suppose we thought it would improve her self-esteem.

But by the time I was a teenager, dog trainers were recommending that people never play tug because it taught the dog to be "alpha" and led to owner-directed aggression. These trainers viewed tug of war as a dominance game in which dog was pitted against master.

Then came another flip-flop. When I started studying dog behavior in earnest during graduate school, trainers had conceded that it was okay to play tug, as long as the owner won most of the time. I was glad to be able to resume this terrific energy-burner with my Australian Cattle Dog.

Dagger at that time was very strong and domineering and could have beaten me paws down in a fair game of tug. Because he would drop the toy on command about 60% of the time, I decided it was still okay to play with him. As recommended, I always ended the game during one of the lulls in which he had obeyed my command to "drop it!" The books didn’t say what to do with it then, so I usually tossed it to Dagger to keep.

Tug me tender (ouch!)

Despite my following the then-current rules, Dagger growled when he played and would often "accidentally" nick my hand with his teeth. He also developed the habit of jerking the toy away from me, then putting it on my lap. When I reached for the toy, he would suddenly make a grab for it, often nipping my hand, as well. While he did this, he was grinning and wagging his tail. He was obviously not a classic object-guarder, as I could easily take a hot dog or a rawhide from his mouth. But it sure was painful playing tug games!

Transforming your tugs

Fortunately for my bruised mitts, I read The Culture Clash (Jean Donaldson, 1996) and learned why my tug method wasn’t working.

According to Donaldson, the tug game itself is not a dominance struggle, but a cooperative prey-killing game. When a dog growls during tug, it is growling at the toy, not at the owner. Nevertheless, a dog that mouths you when playing is definitely showing a lack of respect. Dogs never err when hunting together and "accidentally" bite another pack member! In addition, the matter of who gets to keep (and, symbolically, "eat") the toy "victim" is a matter of dominance.

Changing just two things about the way Dagger and I played tug made all the difference. (Important: If you believe your dog might have a serious aggression problem, please consult a behaviorist or trainer rather than following the instructions below.)

Just drop it!

First, I taught Dagger to drop the toy on my first command every time. One way to do this is to begin with a food exchange. Encourage your dog to play tug for a while, then offer a treat with your other hand while saying "Give" or "Out." When your dog drops the toy, give him the treat and immediately ask him to sit for a second treat.

Once he complies, give him a release command, "Okay, take it!" and resume the tug game. The second treat can quickly be faded out, as the resumption of the game is adequate reward for sitting.

Toys as treats

The dog must also learn to drop the toy when you don’t have food treats. After a few sessions with food, your next "secret weapon" will be better toys!

This time, sit on the couch and play tug with your dog’s most boring toy. Keep the really fun toys behind you and have a moderately exciting toy in your out-of-sight hand. Say "Give" but don’t move the more desirable toy into position just yet. Maintain your grip on the original toy, but be boring and stop tugging on it. Don’t look at the dog and be very patient.

He may take nearly a minute before he gets bored and lets go of the original toy. When he does, ask for a sit. Then bring out the more-exciting-toy for his reward: another tug game! Repeat this until you’ve worked up to the best toy. Always end the game with an "Out," and put the toys out of reach for a while.

No more nips!

The second way that I changed how we played corrected the nipping behavior. Whenever Dagger bit my hands under any circumstances—whether "accidental" or not—we had a two-minute timeout. Donaldson recommends playing tug near the dog’s crate. If the dog’s teeth slip off the tug toy and onto you, say "No!" and then immediately stop the game and put the dog into the crate. Do not hesitate, do not chat, and do not look at the dog.

Even though these brief time-outs won’t make your dog hate his crate, you may instead choose to walk into another room and close the door behind you, rather than using the crate.

It takes just a half dozen or so repetitions before the dog realizes thattooth-slippage equals loss-of-playmate. Your presence is a powerful reward, so don’t let your dog have it if he doesn’t deserve it!

Tugs away!

Once you’ve established these important stipulations—the dog must always be prepared to drop the toy at your first command, and must never, ever, let teeth meet skin—you’ve set the stage for a lifetime of rewarding play.

© PozitifEnik.com

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