For those who use tug...

If you arn't comfortable having your dog use his paws, then no, I wouldn't allow it. I allow pretty much anything with tug mostly because I had to actually use a clicker to shape Zuma's tug. Now she's a nut about tug but because it's HER reward it has to be fun for her. However, I have to enjoy it enough to use it as often as we do as a reward in agility and I can tell you that I wouldn't enjoy getting injured every game of tug.

Do you tug with Classic?

Maybe just a little bit....



I tend agree with Sara - when you use tug as a reward, it has to be fun for the dog. I have seen people really dampen their dog's enthusiasm with tug by having too many rules. But if you don't like feet on you, tooth contact, etc you can certainly alter the game so that it doesn't involve that stuff.

I have pretty strict rules with tug, and my dogs are still INSANE about it! I used tug to reward Gonzo after flyball runs and to reward both of them for restrained recalls and they love it. Especially when I spin it around, drag it around on the ground and make them wait & watch that before they can have it.

NO teeth on my skin. NO jumping on me at all. I want them to take their excitement and drive out on the tug, not on me! I won't harshly correct them or end the game for jumping on me, I work with them and communicate with them. I use body language to block them from jumping on me or I stomp at them to let them know I do not like to be clawed. I don't want my dogs ever think it's ok or fun to jump on me though. I would definitely be more adamant about that if they weighed 130 lbs!!! I also teach a very solid out. I find that making it more structured and making them work/think for the tug only increases their drive, it doesn't inhibit it. I can see how corrections or removing the reward frequently could lower drive, but you don't need to do that to teach tug manners.

I released Steve off my lap, uh, once. Once was enough! Although it didn't hurt quite as badly as the time he (accidentally) bit me in the crotch.... (TUG IS DANGEROUS)

I think I'm closer to Gonzo than most on this thread. I do have rules though they are about the same ones I have for fetch. No teeth on me. Now, a mistarget or something does happen but they need to pay attention to where they are biting and where my hands are and I need to make sure I don't put my hands were they should be biting. We all do that and we're golden.

I also teach a strong get it and out. You wait until I tell you to get it and you let go when I say to.

Other than that you can be on my head tugging if you want! I really don't care about jumping on me

We have pretty much no rules for tug with Nico, he can use paws and if his teeth hit me, oh well. He doesn't usually mistarget with his mouth when we play tug though. (He saves THAT for when we play ball...) He just has to out when I tell him to. His previous owner didn't really get a malinois' drive, so we are working it back up. (Which considering Nico has a pretty good work ethic, isn't too hard.)

SAGA has her own rules for tug...if she can see your hand holding the toy, she won't tug. Anything she tugs must be bigger and soft, like a stuffed animal.

I don't allow paws on my, and Knox has actually never tried that. Ozzy is the worst offender for that, but since Ozzy is a pet and will never compete, I don't care about keeping his drive up. It's never done anything to lower it either. If anything, I think ending the game after repeated transgressions makes him want to play MORE.

Knox will try to tug in a circle. Ozzy tugs straight back...

Wonder why that is?

Well with Riley who is 90lbs, I allow some bracing with paws on me, especially if I pull up to lift him off the ground a bit, but I would not let him bank off of me... OMG I'd be on the ground. He's never tried that though thank goodness.