Playing Tug with Dogs

So I was volunteering at the dog rescue yesterday, and one of the owners and I got in a conversation about tugging. I was saying how Fable has finally started playing with toys, and her favorite game is tug. Then she told me that I shouldn't do that too much with her because it's "not good". No further reasoning was provided, and I honestly didn't want to argue with her since I don't know too much about it.

So I want to know what the reasoning is behind people thinking playing tug is bad (yesterday was not the first time I've heard someone say it's bad). Do people think it makes dogs aggressive? Or maybe they think it's bad for their teeth? I know a lot of you guys play tug with your dogs, and knowing what a dog-savvy community this is, I can't imagine that it's a terrible thing to do. Also is there a "proper" way to play tug? I just kind of want to know what you guys think about it.

I'm not positive, but I *think* it's because they feel it makes the dog more dominant than you if you let them 'win.' I remember years ago reading books and watching shows, always being told not to play tug and if you do...make sure you win in the end.

Regardless if that really is reason, I personally love a good game of tug. Rip LOVES it and will play forever. He's growling and pulling, hanging and shaking. I always start saying, "I'm going to wiiiiiin!" and he lets out a moaning whine and then reverts back to a good grrrrr no you're not! *tug!!* His tail is wildly flapping the entire time and he's far from trying to 'take over.'

I'm not expert, but to me...it's just a game. He knows when to 'drop it' and hang on by command. I swap it up just for fun, have him drop and then back up for a catch. I have no clue of the 'proper' way, to me we're just having fun...I always end the game with him dropping and then tossing it for him to chase.

That stuff you've heard is old school when they believed in this dominance panacea and alpha/pack theory stuff. It's totally a game, like Applebear said. They play it with each other and they're not trying to do something with their status. Humans make up the most complicated constructs ever. It's a simple and fun game. I let my dogs win most of the time because it might make them more confident. I like a confident, sure of himself kind of dog. They don't need to try and prove anything. That said, I do have a few rules. I don't want them to grab at the toy when I'm not ready, so if they do, I don't play for about 30 seconds, then I'll try again. I don't like them to bite me, even by mistake, so if they do, game over. But only for a half minute or so and then they get another try. The more tries, the higher the odds that they'll do it right and get reinforced by another game. I do teach them to give or drop as part of their basic education. So, with this game, there's no exception. We practice a few "gives" and then also "take," where the dog takes it in his mouth and then the game is on. So a few times they give it to me, but more times, I let them win. Then they bring it back to me and ask for another game. This right there, tells me, they're not being "dominant" or developing "opposition" because they are willing to give me the toy and want to play.

So, teach a few rules so it doesn't get too wild and nobody gets snagged with sharp teeth and let the games begin!

Yeah it's usually old school dominance stuff.

I play tug with Hank all the time. My main rules are to take it when I say to and to drop when I say to. And no teeth on skin though sometimes that still happens accidentally. I've learned to use longer tugs.

It's a great motivational game and I use it a lot in agility training with him.

Yeah this is some of that old-school IT MAKES YOUR DOG DOMINANT type stuff. Like Applebear said about the whole "if you tug you better make sure you win!!!" It's really just ridiculous, if you ever watch how two dogs play tug with each other.


I do have rules for tug. Payton was game to tug very early on so we definitely played tug from the minute I brought him home; I don't do vigorous side-to-side tugging, it's mostly straight back. We might tug at an angle but I don't do shaking snapping back and forth type stuff (not with force anyway.) I don't worry too much about teeth but I am conscious of it with baby puppies since a game of tug can definitely yank out a loose baby tooth - that's actually how we got the last one of Auggie's baby teeth out. The adult tooth had grown in and the baby tooth hadn't fallen out so it was stuck; two days before his appointment to have it surgically removed, it came out in a game of tug. Problem solved! If a tooth gets yanked out there will be blood, that's about the biggest concern. =P
Also if you miss the tug and put teeth on skin, the game is over. If Payton chomps me and then immediately backs off like "oops," it's just a brief time out while he recollects, and then we get back to the game. Auggie will actually bite me and not even realize he's done it and not stop playing, so he gets an out and then the game is over, toy is put away.
Finally, when I say "out," you out. It was and still is an excellent self-control game for Payton.

I think for certain dogs with health problems (gum or teeth issues) it may not be appropriate, and perhaps with existing temperament problems it's maybe not the best unless you use it as a training tool - but for a large majority I don't think there are issues. And I definitely don't feel it "creates" temperament problems on its own.

Yup same here Dobe, couple rules...no teeth or paws on me [nails hurt too, though this one is harder for him but we're slowly catching on].

I don't tug with Ruby.

I don't want my retriever playing tug. It even makes tennis ball fetch harder. Yes, if you taught a really good retrieve or release command it would work too, but she has neither

Yes, it is because people think that tugging makes dogs dominant, aggressive, and even vicious. Load of crap, lol. I even met one person that said letting the dog have ANY toys will make them chew things and make them vicious.


Personally, I think the possibility of my dog becoming a monster from tugging is far outweighed by the good parts- muscle building, grip building (after all these years, Roxie has FINALLY learned to not regrip ALL THE TIME, which is extremely annoying when we're trying to tug!), etc. But, yknow, people have all these funny must do or must not do things when it comes to dogs out of fear of them.

Yes to what others have said....which is funny because IMO tug is one of the best games to use to TEACH self control, impulse control, and an awesome drop command.

I tug with Gusto; it is essentially a trained behavior in him rather than a natural game. Both of my dogs are incredibly handler soft, and neither naturally wants to tug with a person (Meg really won't in 99% of situations). Because of that, I have fewer rules with Gusto than is probably advisable. I don't even stop the game for random tooth hits.

I am careful about how I tug. I hate to see people snapping the tug up and down sharply because I worry about the neck. I mostly tug down low and steady. Maybe a little side to side, but with constant pressure rather than slack-yank-slack-yank.

What everyone else said about the dominance crap.

But also a few years ago my neighbors said the same thing about not liking their dogs to play tug - their reasoning was that if the dog steals something he shouldn't have, he won't want to give it up. I mean, or they could teach "out"/"drop it", but meh.

I love playing tug with my dogs (in fact, it's my favorite game and I'm honestly not sure what I'd do if they didn't tug).

I agree that when they start shaking back and forth, I let go. I don't want them to do something to their necks.

Yep, a well trained, "out" or "give" whatever will make dogs happy to give up things. (because when learning, they get even better things and maybe even the thing back that they give you) A win/win situation. LOL. I wish neighbors and people that have these pre conceived ideas would watch some of these terrific Chaz dogs.

Thanks for the replies! I am definitely going to teach Fable to drop/take it. She is super careful when we tug, so I don't think I have to worry about her accidentally getting me. I just got her an awesome denim tug at the store yesterday and she LOVES it. This is going to be a game we have a lot of fun with.

I've always laughed at how stupid the alpha training techniques are. It makes sense that they'd say tugging isn't good if you want to be 'pack leader'. It's definitely not training advice I'm going to be using.

I've heard 'tug' creates aggression and resource guarding behaviors. That said - I didn't believe that and when Toby was a puppy we avoided 'tug' for a different reason.

That reason, was that I didn't want him to get hold of something he shouldn't have, and then go into a game of tug when we tried to retrieve the item. Instead - I worked on teaching 'drop it' and only introduced a tug game after 'drop it' was learned.

For the longest time I remember the "authorities" on dog training going back and forth on their stance.
One seminar it would be "tugging is great!" then the next one "tug is bad!" and so on.

In recent years it seems to be of the general consensus now that tug is fine *IF* you are in control of the game - ie dog drops it when asked and accepts that the game is done when you say it is.
At least, that's the way it's been said in the positive trainer circles.

And of course, no rough tugging with pups or dogs with sensitive gums/teeth.

FWIW I play tug with all of my dogs.
I can swing Cobain in the air while tugging, and Rigby gets tossed around quite a bit too. They love it and it has been great for their muscle tone.
Oz of course being in his condition doesn't get the same amount of rough play, but he does get to tug. And Ruby doesn't enjoy hard tugging as much as the others

I've worked really hard to entice my Bouv pup to enjoy tug. It was actually how I taught "take it" and "drop it". And he has a deadly "drop it", btw. He'll drop a meaty frozen marrow bone if I ask him to. Of course, I've played a lot of games with him where I ask for something wonderful from him, handle it, oooh and ahhhh over it, and give it straight back.

Tug is really fun, and a great way to play with your dog, IMO.

Well, Playing tug with your dog can provide a wonderful outlet for her natural canine urges to grab and pull on things with her mouth. You can also use this game to exercise your dog and teach her important lessons, such as how to listen to you when she’s excited.

What everyone else said!

I have students in every class afraid to play with toys and tug as a reward for their dogs... pet and sport classes alike, and it is repetitive going over it again and again.

Tugging has helped my dogs work on retrieval work a TON! Cueing an out is what it's all about, and then tugging is the reward - they love it.

Patton has an awesome Frisbee hand off thanks to tug.

I can't tug with my new puppy and I absolutely hate it... his retrieval skills are far behind any other puppy's skills that I could tug with.