- Some people avoid playing the game of tug with their dog
because they think it could lead to aggression,
but it's actually a really beneficial cooperative game,
and I'd love to share some tips
on how to make it safe and fun for everybody.
Hi, I'm Jennifer Malawey, and welcome to KONG Classroom.
(toy bounces)
(dog barks)
(upbeat music)
Some dogs, it comes really naturally.
They love to play tug, because the toy acts like prey.
One way to keep the game safe for humans
is to give the dog feedback.
So we try to discourage dogs putting teeth on your skin,
just by stopping the game when they do that.
Doesn't need to be a big deal,
we just let them know that when teeth go on skin,
we say, oops, remove the toy, remove your hand,
and end the game for now.
And with repetition, the dogs will learn
that if they wanna keep playing,
they'll keep their teeth on the toy.
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So I mentioned how to keep the humans safe when playing tug,
but it's important that we keep the dog safe too.
So they are likely going to shake the toy side to side.
That's great, let them do that.
It's better if you don't shake it side to side,
'cause they may not be prepared,
and their muscles and their spine, we wanna protect that.
So, side to side motion is generally okay.
Up and down is more risky.
When you're playing with them,
you also wanna keep a kind of steady amount of pressure,
and to let your dog take the lead
in terms of how much force should be between you.
We don't wanna be jerking it and pulling them off balance,
but if it's a little dog,
you're gonna lighten up the pressure.
If it's a bigger, stronger, more engaged dog,
it's okay to kind of pull back a little bit more,
use your dog as a guide.
(upbeat music)
Some dogs really enjoy tug right off the bat,
you don't have to entice them.
And for other dogs,
it's just never gonna be the game for them.
And that's totally okay.
We don't need to force dogs to enjoy the game of tug.
Some dogs can learn to enjoy it,
but they tend to be the dogs that are a little more timid,
and so they could use some special care,
and so I have some tips
to introduce the shyer pups
to a game that can be a little rowdy, once they get into it.
People can be really tempted to
like wiggle the toy in the air above the dog's head,
which can be really intimidating for some dogs
that are hesitant to engage with the toy in that way.
So a way to make it easier for the little dogs,
or shyer dogs is to bring the toy low to the ground,
and you can create movement,
and rather than kind of bringing it towards the dog,
it's better if you make the toy move away,
make it act like prey.
So make it a little motion, make it move away,
but play around with how your dog responds to that.
Some dogs will like it.
Some dogs won't.
That'll go a long way towards helping the shy dogs.
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When choosing a toy, look for a longer, rope toys,
fleece especially, I like fleece,
because it's softer and has a little bit of stretch to it,
which a lot of dogs seem to prefer.
It's a good idea to test out some options
of different sizes, textures,
and whether they make sounds, like squeaking and crackling.
Your dog will have their own preferences,
and so, see what they like.
(upbeat music)
A lot of dogs will vocalize in play,
and that can be concerning to some people.
So one good thing to know is that
some growling during play is,
can be completely normal.
With anything, with interactions with dogs,
if you are uncomfortable,
don't be afraid to step back, and create some space.
Take a moment to kind of reevaluate,
take a look at your dog's body language,
and just see what you're comfortable with.
If anything's concerning to you,
you can always reach out to a trainer,
someone to help you work through that.
But I think most people have a pretty good sense of
is their dog enjoying it or are they not?
I'm Jennifer Malawey,
and thank you for joining us in KONG Classroom.
(dog barks)