Should You Play Tug Games With Your Dog?
There was a time when dog trainers suggested that playing tug games with your dog wasn’t a good idea. Many believe playing tug-o-war with dogs, may create aggression issues. If you’re wondering whether you should play tug games with your dog – read our Holidays4Dogs article.
Playing well-managed tug games with your dog can actually have lots of benefits. What’s more, science tells engaging in tug games with our dogs won’t cause aggressive or, dominant behaviours.
Benefits of playing tug games with your dog.
Playing tug can help to strengthen the bond between human and dog, as well as boosting your dog’s happiness. In addition, it can help with impulse control and build confidence in pet dogs. Teaching dogs to drop the toy, or wait before holding it, all helps with teaching a dog impulse control. This isn’t a skill that comes naturally to dogs, but they are very capable of learning it. It helps build a rapport too and encourages dogs to cooperate with their human companion.
Don’t worry about letting your dog ‘win’ a game of tug. This won’t encourage dominance, or aggression.
Instead, you are teaching them that engaging with you is fun. It also provides the dog with the opportunity to bring the toy back and carry on playing – something many dogs learn very quickly.
In fact, dogs that aren’t allowed to ‘win’ the tug game aren’t as happy, or as motivated, to continue playing.
Once a dog can play tug, it can be a huge confidence boost. Dogs that become distracted, or anxious, while out and about, or in stressful situations – can be soothed with a fun game of tuggy.
This is something that has to be learned, but once they realise there is a fun game to be had, many dogs forget their fear because they associate them with good things, like a game. Tug games are also excellent for engaging dogs on a walk, when they cannot be let off the lead.
Should tug games have rules?
Ideally, teaching the dog ‘drop’ or ‘leave’ before you start playing tug, means the dog learns the rules of the game. By being able to stop the game, your dog learns impulse control and how to play nicely, without being too rough. For the basics on teaching the ‘leave it’ command, you can read our other Holidays4Dogs article here.
A quick and simple way to get the tug back, is to ‘trade’ the tug for another toy, or a treat. If your dog runs off with the toy – don’t be tempted to give chase! By chasing your dog, you may encourage the dog to become possessive of the toy – so try ‘trading’ instead. In addition, if you chase your dog, he may think this is part of the game and misunderstand the ‘rules’.
Keep tug game sessions short – less than a minute. If your dog becomes too rough, bites your hands, or redirects biting behaviour to clothing etc – stop the game straight away because, your dog doesn’t yet understand the rules of the game.
What’s the best toy for tug games?
Choosing the right toy for tug games with dogs is important. Pick something that has some length to it. This will help discourage your dog from accidentally biting your hands. You can purchase rope toys, or a ball on a rope, which make good toys for playing tug games. Make sure they are good quality and robust.
Tug toys with bungee cords minimise injury to the dog -and the human player! – by absorbing shock waves.
What to avoid when playing tug with dogs.
It’s important not to play for too long when playing these types of games with your dog. This is especially important when it comes to puppies, or elderly dogs. While tug games are excellent for physical exercise as well as mental agility, playing for too long, isn’t always the best thing to do.
Puppies should be discouraged from doing too much twisting and should not be yanked up and down. This action can have a detrimental effect on the spine – and is true for dogs of any age.
Try and keep the line level, when playing tug – let your dog do the work by pulling on their end and keeping the end you hold still.
Never swing your dog off the floor while they are holding the tug toy. Also, avoid swinging the toy up in the air, so the dog has to jump to get it. Instead, drag the toy along the floor.
Improperly managed tug games can lead to stress – which is the thing you may be trying to relieve in your dog.
Therefore, always make sure games are short, your dog has chance to win, and the game is played with plenty of calm intervals.
Do all dogs like playing tug games?
No. Not every dog will enjoy playing tug games. Some dogs are just not motivated to play this type of game, so may benefit from other kinds of engaging play – like scent games, or retrieve. Breeds such as collies, German shepherds and terriers often love to engage in tug games because it stems from their high prey drive.
Final thoughts.
Dogs have to spend much of their lives being unable to follow their natural instincts. Playing tug games with their owner – or even another dog – allows them this freedom. Playing tug games are a safe and valid way for dogs to engage in natural behaviours.
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