Dispelling the Myths: Tuggy, Retrieve and Safe Play
By Sue McCabe
I still regularly hear from clients that they have been told they shouldn’t play tug with their dog. It causes aggression; it creates a hard mouthed dog who will damage game (if you’re into that sort of thing); you’ll never get a decent hold if you teach tug. I still hear the only way to play tug safely is to make sure the human always win the game. Would you really want to play with someone who always wins?
Let’s get things straight.
- It is possible to play tug and allow your dog to regularly win the toy without ending up with an aggression problem. There is no link between the two!
- Tug improves retrieve, improves owner/dog relationships and makes play more interactive for all. Dog can’t tug by themselves, so enjoying a game with you should result in them bringing the toy back (bingo! a retrieve) in order to continue the game.
- Tug does NOT cause your dog to have a hard mouth, rip apart game or be more inclined to destroy toys. Bad training causes all of these things, not playing tug with your dog. My Jack Russell Terrier Jellybean can swing about on the end of a tug toy, even be lifted off the ground during tug. Yet, if i ask him to retrieve an object, or indeed a dead bird or rodent my cats have killed, he will retrieve, hold and release without ANY damage to the article or animal.
We LOVE Tug! Sharing toys and playing together starts from day 1.
Jellybean is about 8 weeks in this video. Already learning that playing with me if more fun than playing by himself.
In this video, you can see the desire to continue the tug, encourages the dog to retrieve.
To make tug safe and fun for all, you need some ground rules.
Here is a German Shepherd foster puppy I had over xmas a few years ago learning some rules of engagement for safe and fun tuggy. Can you spot what I’m saying which will eventually become his signal to spit out the toy?
Hold! The magic marker word (or click) tells the dog he has made the correct choice.
This is what a solid ‘hold’ looks like and is the foundation for a retrieve (delivery) to hand. My dogs are taught to hold something in their mouth until they hear the magic ‘ok’ word which tells them they have made the correct choice.
How do we start training this? Step by step, clicking all the way!
Hand target first! This is for your delivery to hand. I’m using a clicker in this video, you can of course use a marker word instead.
Retrieve to hand!
Jellybean demonstrating the steps involved in reverse chaining retrieve to hand.
And just to prove how much fun you can have with a solid retrieve and hold, and how gentle my terrier’s mouth is, despite tugging hard when I tell him he can, here is Jellybean searching for and finding a buried £10 note on the beach and bringing it back undamaged.
Since 2005, Sue McCabe has provided behavioural advice and training for dogs across Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland and North East England. Her business, Muttamorphosis also offers puppy, clicker and Kennel Club Good Citizen training classes. Sue provides trained dogs for photoshoots, TV and film work. She also runs masterclasses including canine first aid courses; specialist seminars and workshops.
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