In your other hand is a treat, and after a bit of happy growling tug play, put the treat under her nose as you say “Drop it!” In the great majority of cases the treat will be more attractive than the toy and she’ll immediately drop the toy for the treat. Offer her the tug toy saying, “Grif, wanna play tug?” as you hold it out for her to grab. She needs to be taught “Drop it!” (The “Drop It” command can save her life if she picks up gum with xylitol in it). Tug-of-war is a great game, as long as you initiate, and control the game. With repetitive consistency, your dog (based on the picture I’ll call her Grif) can easily attain a large vocabulary. As for the tug-of-war dispute, you are all correct, or will be with a little bit of training. I’ve lost count of all the “how to” quarrels and disagreements I stepped into the middle of when it came to parenting the dog. The first line of the question above is asking me to settle a family dispute.

Having had over 800 training appointments a year, I quickly realized that in addition to training the dog and training the owners, a third skill was needed, that being the tactful expertise of a mediator. The hardest part of being a dog trainer is what I call the “leash transfer,” getting the owners to do what I tell them to do to get their dog cooperating. The easiest part of being a dog trainer is training the dog. Hold one of your puppy's favorite toys/treats in the air above him/her and tell them 'You can do it! You can get it!' Be sure to give your dog the treat eventually to prevent them from becoming agitated.Curious in Cooperstown Dear Curious in Coop, An alternative to tug of war is to play a jumping game.X Research source Canine Behavior: A Guide for Veterinarians. Allowing him to win could boost his confidence. Your puppy may benefit from playing tug-of-war if he's shy or anxious.

Their superior physical strength and protective instinct could cause them to dominate. For this reason, you may not want to play it with large dogs from guarding breeds.

Some people believe that playing tug-of-war can make your dog possessive.

Puppies have soft spots at the top of their heads that can injure easily. If your puppy is under one year old, use caution when playing. Pull somewhat gently on the tugger rope toy, since it is possible to damage your puppy's teeth by pulling too hard. If you use something that's not a toy, your puppy will be confused into thinking he's allowed to play with household things. Use a tugger rope toy designed for play, not another household item like a shoe.

How to play puppy love game