Dog Trainer Lists Common Mistakes People Make When Playing Tug-of-War with Pups

Dogs love to play games with their humans. Whether fetching a ball, doing agility work, or catching a frisbee, these activities help burn off energy and create stronger bonds. However, games like tug-of-war can have potentially adverse consequences when done incorrectly.

Check out this video from June 19 to hear how this dog trainer suggests playing this popular game. Not only will these methods help to forge a healthy relationship, but they can also keep your dog free from harm.

Tug-of-war is a game that dogs of all ages and sizes love to play with each other and their humans. However, as Ian (@ vermontdogtrainer ) cautions us, we must engage in this activity properly. Otherwise, we may unintentionally cause them pain.

Related: Dog Trainer Explains 3 Easy Ways To Stop Pups From Pulling on a Leash

The Wrong Way to Play Tug-of-War With Your Dog

1. Lfting the toy up with our dog attached and shaking it back and forth quickly. This causes adog's jaws to go up and down, making them uncomfortable.
   
   
2. Dragging them around the yard with large sweeping motions can also be overpowering and potentially harmful.

The Right Way to Play Tug-of-War With Your Dog

1. Encourage them to engage with you. When teaching a dog to play tug for the first time, gently pull the toy toward you to encourage them to grab and pull it away. This property triggers the dog's tug-of-war mechanism in their brain.
   
   
2. Letting go and letting them win is also essential to this game. As he shows us, after allowing the dog to win, he calls them back to continue the play. Ian reports that playing this game correctly can help them tire out quickly, deepen our connection, and lead to better behavior.

Pet parents were happy to hear this insightful information. One person responded, “Thank you! My pup loves to tug, and I'm always wondering what are the bad ways to play with her. This helps so much!” It’s great to know. Viewer @lindamelsheimer remarked, “I was taught that tug-of-war was fine between two dogs, but as a human, it becomes a dominance issue, especially if the dog wins.” Ian responded, “That’s old news. You can accomplish some wonderful things with dogs with a great game of tug.” My dogs have always enjoyed this game and have never shown signs of thinking they were the boss, so I'm glad to hear these antiquated recommendations no longer apply.

Having productive ways to burn off energy is handy on rainy days when we can't go outside to walk. Not only can it help prevent unwanted behaviors , but it may also strengthen our relationships with our furry friends.