# Tug of war games...



## CharlestonBear (Jan 7, 2013)

I have read many conflicting opinions concerning playing tug of war with your puppy...
Is it okay to play that? 

Note: My puppy is very confident, would this affect whether or not I should?


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

I think tug of war games are fine as long as you build in a stop or leave command so that the puppy lets go when told to do so and the reward for him leaving go is that the game restarts! You play when you want and you choose to finish the game when enough is enough.
If your puppy gets over excited and starts biting at your hands stop the game. Only play if he respects what the game is - it is not chew, nip, bite the owner it is play with the tugga.
Also remember when playing tug of war that you are stronger than your puppy and if you are rough you can hurt their mouths...


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

I have read that if you have quite a dominant dog you should make sure you win more often than they do as they see these games as another way to work out 'who is in charge' - mind you now there are new views that the whole 'pack leader' thing is rubbish anyway, so I don't know...but as Marzi say's I think its fine if they know the rules. Dudley will hang on forever and it seems impossible to get the toy off him - but then one sniff of a favourite treat and he almost throws the toy away! I would love for him to drop something when I gave a drop command but he never does unless there is a treat on offer. Can anything change this?


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

DB1 said:


> I have read that if you have quite a dominant dog you should make sure you win more often than they do as they see these games as another way to work out 'who is in charge' - mind you now there are new views that the whole 'pack leader' thing is rubbish anyway, so I don't know...but as Marzi say's I think its fine if they know the rules. Dudley will hang on forever and it seems impossible to get the toy off him - but then one sniff of a favourite treat and he almost throws the toy away! I would love for him to drop something when I gave a drop command but he never does unless there is a treat on offer. Can anything change this?


Does the treat have to be on his nose before he lets go of the toy? Or just near him?
Have tasty treats out of his reach, but where he knows they are. That way when he drops the toy he knows the treat is coming.
If you have to have the treat on his nose, say 'drop', then ask for a sit before giving him the treat. Immediately restart the tug game and repeat the 'drop... sit' treat cycle. Build up a little delay between the drop command, sit and reward. But always keep the restart of the game fast after the treat. Once you have the delay there try having the treat out of his reach as first suggested.
Kiki is no trouble at home or training, but out on walks she is a total nightmare at leaving the disgusting things she constantly finds.... manky dirty bits of tissue being her absolute fav.


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

Marzi said:


> Does the treat have to be on his nose before he lets go of the toy? Or just near him?
> Have tasty treats out of his reach, but where he knows they are. That way when he drops the toy he knows the treat is coming.
> If you have to have the treat on his nose, say 'drop', then ask for a sit before giving him the treat. Immediately restart the tug game and repeat the 'drop... sit' treat cycle. Build up a little delay between the drop command, sit and reward. But always keep the restart of the game fast after the treat. Once you have the delay there try having the treat out of his reach as first suggested.
> Kiki is no trouble at home or training, but out on walks she is a total nightmare at leaving the disgusting things she constantly finds.... manky dirty bits of tissue being her absolute fav.


Thank you for that Marzi - he has to know you have a treat, but he has dropped it when playing with my son when he hears me get a treat from the tin! (when my son shouts 'mum - help,he's beating me!'), I've also just watched the video Mairi posted on another thread about guarding that looks like a really good way to teach the drop command, which may help on walks.


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Thanks I'll look at that. I either have to find a solution or learn to look the other way as she gobbles up her disgusting finds!


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