Today I’m sharing with you the most common mistakes I see people make when playing tug with their dogs that could be killing their dog’s tug drive. We’re going to cover 8 tugging mistakes I see the most and how to fix them, so you can teach your dog to play tug with you like a pro.
This post will also help you if your dog doesn’t really know how to play, or if you’re trying to teach a dog to tug who is a bit reluctant about it to begin with.
As a dog trainer, I meet many dog owners who are hindering their dog’s tug drive in simple ways, without even knowing it!
On to the most common mistakes I see, and how you can avoid them to help bring out your dog’s inner tug-maniac:
1: Toy in the Dog’s Face
Don’t: Starting off with one of the most common mistakes I see, with tugging and trying to get a dog to play with you in general, is putting the toy in or near the dog’s mouth. Almost shoving the toy in the dog’s face!
This is not a strategy that’s going to get you very far.
Do: Be the squirrel!
I can’t remember where I first heard this advice, but it really stuck with me.
So what do I mean by that? I mean, think to yourself: What would a squirrel do? If the toy I’m holding were a squirrel, how would it move? (spoiler: it definitely wouldn’t hop straight into your dog’s mouth!)
Here’s what “being the squirrel” might look like:
- Moving the toy away from the dog, rather than towards the dog
- Moving the toy in short, quick, sporadic movements
- Pauses where you hold the toy still before moving again
- The toy “scampering” behind your back, before peeking out again
- If your dog loses grip on the toy, it should scamper away quickly and “make an escape”
2: Not letting the dog win
Don’t: Another common mistake I see is not letting your dog win! What do I mean by that? I mean let your dog win the tug of war by releasing the toy.
A line of thinking I hear is dog guardians who think that if they let go of the toy, they’ll never get it back from their dog. As a result, they simply never let go of the toy.
And I get it – it can be scary to completely relinquish control of the situation.
But- this is a problem for 2 reasons:
1) Playing a game where your dog never “wins” will get old for them pretty quickly.
- How interested would you be in a game where your opponent always wins?
- Or how interesting is a sports match that’s a complete one-sided stomp?
- Answer: Not very! The fun of any game is in the back-and-forth – the hope that one can pull out a win against adversity. When winning is impossible, there’s no point!
And 2) If your dog ever does get a hold of the toy, they are more likely to play keep-away
Do: Be brave, relinquish control, and let the dog win! Bonus points to you if you can be a good actor, and make it seem like your dog overpowered you and stole the toy away – even if it was just you letting them win.
Think of a give and take – let your dog pull you a bit, then resist your dog’s pull for a moment, then give again, and so on. Tug should be a 2-player game – not just one player hogging the toy at all times.
Pro tip: Use a second identical toy if you struggle to get the first toy back. Or, contact a reward-based dog trainer for help.
3: Tugging too long
Don’t: If you are tugging continuously with your dog for minutes on end, in my opinion, you are tugging for too long.
Do: Instead, limit individual “tugs” to 3-5 seconds long. And, keep overall sessions short.
I used to way overtrain, to the point where my dog quit the session before I did.
Don’t be like past me – Leave your dog wanting more!
This is especially important if you have a dog with less natural interest in tugging who you are trying to build up.
4: Being too serious
Don’t: I also see dog guardians struggle with being too serious. Dogs feed off of your excitement and energy. If you’re boring, why would your dog want to play with you?
Do: Be silly! Be someone your dog would want to play with. Even if it’s all fake, put on your best acting voice and a silly voice. Try to put your heart and soul into the game. Don’t let worrying about looking silly stop you from having fun with your dog.
5: Wrong Type of Toy
Using the wrong type of toy for tugging means you’re more likely to get bitten accidentally in the process. And, you’re likely to create a more frustrating experience for your dog too.
Do: Longer toys, with a clear bite path, are better. The exact best type of toy is dog-dependent. But generally, softer are more fun for dogs to bite.
Think stuffies, rope toys, fleece, or toys specifically made for tugging. Bonus features some toys have meant for tugging are and handle and/or bungee sections.
Cleanrun.com is my favorite place to shop for tug toys.
6: Forcing your dog to play “your way”
Dogs have different ways they enjoy playing. Some like chasing the toy, some like biting down and tugging, others like to possess the toy. Playing with your dog is about having fun, and experimenting to see what part of the tug sequence your dog enjoys the most.
Do: Find what your dog enjoys most about tugging, and lean into that. If you’re not sure how, a good place to start is thinking about what your dog’s breed was selected to do. For example, sporting breeds often love to retrieve and carry the toy around. Shepherds and Malinois often love to bite, grab, shake, and “fight” over the toy.
With that said though, all dogs are individuals! Listen to what your dog tells you they enjoy, regardless of breed or what you think they “should” like.
Here are some more examples of how to “listen” to your dog:
If your dog really likes to chase, move the toy around and make it lively! Make the toy run away just out of your dog’s grasp a few times before letting your dog grab hold of it. This gives them more of the “chase” portion which your dog enjoys most.
Maybe you have a retriever, who loves to fetch and deliver the toy to you between tugs. Weave in a few tosses of the toy and retrieves into your tug games.
Or, if your dog really loves to “win” the toy and parade it around, let them! Allow them to carry it around a while, before even worrying about trying to get the toy back. This will remove conflict from your tug games and your dog will enjoy the process SO much more.
7: Expecting your dog to be someone they’re not
If you’ve tried these tips, and your dog still isn’t that into tugging – no worries!
While you can teach just about any dog to tug, wherever on the scale from couch-potato to tug-crazy they might be, that doesn’t mean you should feel pressured to.
Ultimately, your dog doesn’t have to tug if it’s just not their style. There are plenty of other training games and activities you can play with your dog.
So don’t get lost in the sauce of comparing your dog to others. Never forget to celebrate your dog for the amazing individual that they are.
8: No structure to tug sessions
The final mistake I see is not knowing how to structure your tug sessions. There are 4 rules or guidelines I follow during a play session with any dog. I have another blog in the works where I explain each of these guidelines in detail. So check out Part 2 of How to Teach Your Dog to Tug Like A Pro when it’s up!
