# Tugs?



## Denise King (May 31, 2009)

I am really showing my ignorance here but I mostly trial AKC obedience with my Rotts. I have seen at Schutzhund clubs people using a tug ...a LOT. It seems like a very good release and reward. Can someone humor my ignorance by explaining the reasoning behind using tugs, when they are used and most importantly, where to buy good tugs for a good price. 

Yhanks,
Denise King


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## Thomas Barriano (Mar 27, 2006)

Denise King said:


> I am really showing my ignorance here but I mostly trial AKC obedience with my Rotts. I have seen at Schutzhund clubs people using a tug ...a LOT. It seems like a very good release and reward. Can someone humor my ignorance by explaining the reasoning behind using tugs, when they are used and most importantly, where to buy good tugs for a good price.
> 
> Yhanks,
> Denise King


HI Denise,

The simple answer. Most dogs like to bite and a tug is something to bite you can carry in your pocket to reward them for doing something right 
http://www.allk-9.com/blast-hose-tug-toy-p-803.html
is as good a place as any to get tugs or do a search on Ebay
If you don't have Michael Ellis DVD "how to play Tug with Your Dog" I'd recommend it.


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## Pete Stevens (Dec 16, 2010)

Tugs are awesome...it continues the game for most dogs. I use them for positive outs, rewards for good OB, and even for my dection dog. Depending on what your goals are and what your dogs likes, there are a gazillion rewards out there. The blast hose that Thomas mentioned is a good reward for some dogs. Of course being a Ray Allen, Signature K9, and Schweikert dealer, I'd want you to buy those but if you don't, you can't go wrong with All K-9. Jason Baldwin, the owner, is a class act. He is my competitor but a good friend and an honest business man.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

I don't know if I've seen the blast hose tugs. Are they like the fire hose tugs? If they are, they may not be the best thing to start with for a beginner dog. They tend to be slick and less satisfying. A bite suit material tug is a good one to go for toughness and more satisfying to the dog. Clean Run has some more newbie dog type tugs to try for dogs who have never done it and if you're not sure if they will. A lot of them will get dismantled pretty quick by a vigorous tugger, but probably better to start out on with that (and a flirt pole). I'm sure someone at the Schutzhund club can help, plus I'll second the Michael Ellis DVD. 

http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_ID=132

You can also make a fleece tug just by braiding fleece scraps. Super cheap and pups and lesser experienced dogs like them.


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## Denise King (May 31, 2009)

Thanks so much for your help! We use a lot of food for motivation and to be quite honest, I have not been that great about using toys. I know and have been told that the more "tools" you have to use the better. I guess I kind of hold back because my dog is big and I am small and he is a very hard tugger!!!

I have seen parts of the Michael Ellis video but yes, I should probably watch the whole thing!

Thanks again for your help!
Denise


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Ah okay, if he already likes to tug, feel free to get a bite suit tug. The jute ones are nice too, but they tend to shred and get de-stuffed on a hard tugger much faster. A dog's teeth may punch a hole on the bite suit ones, but I find they are a bit less likely to shred. JMHO. When I bought the tug DVD from Leerburg, they were running a special where if you bought that video, they sent along a free tug, but I've ordered some from here before and love them:

http://www.dogsportgear.com/BIte-Suit-Tug-Toys_c_119.html

Definitely check out the section on the video about where he talks about bracing the tug up against your body and keeping it really still. That will help a bunch for a big strong dog so he's not pulling you over, especially for the out. Practice presenting the tug after the marker comes without your dog in the mirror may help too. This is because if you're like me when I was starting out, it was a little awkward and this is to prevent him from accidentally biting you in the hand (or stomach or chest). I'm a klutz so I've been nailed a time or three accidentally by my Malinois because he was too fast and I was too slow. :wink: Don't be afraid to post some videos too. We'll try to help.


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## Pete Stevens (Dec 16, 2010)

Blasthose tugs are a piece of sandblast hose. Its a thick rubber and my dog loves it. But some dogs don't. The hose tugs that are slick and most common are not actual firehoses. They are the ultratough covers that go over the firehoses and I don't like those either. A real firehose is great tug because the dog can grip it and its pretty tough. I got the sand blast hose idea from the Customs and Border Protection guys I train with sometimes. They use them a lot.

Depending on what you want to do with your dog dictates how many handles you get with abitesuit tug. When I use it as a reward for detection work, I use a single handle. During protection and OB, I like two handles because it allows me to let the dog target the tug and continue the game of biting.


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## David Haggard (Jun 17, 2011)

The reasoning behind it is all about reward for doing a good job. The dog is motivated to work in order to get the reward. As a reward, all the previous responders seem enthusiastic about tugs. Yet neither of my dogs could care less about a tug.

The first question you have to answer is -- What is your dog's "game?" What game will your dog play for hours on end? The answer to that will tell you what your dog's ultimate reward is, other than food.

My SAR GSD will chase a tennis ball until she can't carry it for breathing so hard. Then she wants me to throw it again, anyway. After a successful search, the ultimate reward is to let her carry the ball out of the field, just in anticipation that someone, anyone, will take it from her and throw it. She searches for people because she believes with all her heart that when she finds that victim, he or she will have a ball to be chased.

My herding Aussie won't play any game for more than about 5 minutes, then she's bored. But she'll lie on her back for a tummy rub for eternity or until my arm falls off, whichever comes first. So that's her "game." She works the stock in order to get that tummy rub.

So if tug-of-war is your dog's "game," if he lives to play tug-of-war, then by all means use a tug. While most do, not all dogs love to bite. (Neither of my dogs wants to bite.) Not all love to chase. Not all love to possess a toy. Figure out your dog's "game," and training becomes a breeze.


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## Ross Rapoport (Aug 4, 2011)

David Haggard said:


> The reasoning behind it is all about reward for doing a good job. The dog is motivated to work in order to get the reward. As a reward, all the previous responders seem enthusiastic about tugs. Yet neither of my dogs could care less about a tug.
> 
> The first question you have to answer is -- What is your dog's "game?" What game will your dog play for hours on end? The answer to that will tell you what your dog's ultimate reward is, other than food.
> 
> ...


This post is great. I recently stopped moping about my dog's lack of interest in balls and have just been using tugs, as per a clearly expressed enthusiasm/preference on his part.


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## Thomas Barriano (Mar 27, 2006)

Ross Rapoport said:


> This post is great. I recently stopped moping about my dog's lack of interest in balls and have just been using tugs, as per a clearly expressed enthusiasm/preference on his part.


Hi Ross,

I've got the opposite problem. Most of my dogs are tug dogs
EXCEPT my GSD Gwrgenau. He LOVES his ball on a string.
I have to swing a tug around for a 1/2 hour before he'll half way bite it. I don't like balls because they're too hard to teach targeting with. I'm hoping he'll like a blast hose tug better
since it is more like a rubber ball as far as texture but I'll still be able to play "tug"?


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## Ross Rapoport (Aug 4, 2011)

Thomas Barriano said:


> Hi Ross,
> 
> I've got the opposite problem. Most of my dogs are tug dogs
> EXCEPT my GSD Gwrgenau. He LOVES his ball on a string.
> ...


I had a Czech GSD for 10 years before my baby Mal and she was the same. She'd tug on stuff once in a while, but was 100% ball crazy and would retrieve until she dropped.

Maybe a big rope tug (specifically a bigger, meatier approximation of the ball-on-a-string) would satisfy your guy...little bit of both worlds?


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## David Haggard (Jun 17, 2011)

Thomas Barriano said:


> I'm hoping he'll like a blast hose tug better...


I wouldn't count on it. Unless the tugs you've been using are just uncomfortable somehow, to most dogs a tug is a tug is a tug. At least that's been my experience.


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## Thomas Barriano (Mar 27, 2006)

David Haggard said:


> I wouldn't count on it. Unless the tugs you've been using are just uncomfortable somehow, to most dogs a tug is a tug is a tug. At least that's been my experience.


David,

I went to Ray Allen and picked up a blast hose tug (actually it's just a piece of blast hose) and tried it out tonight. Gwrgenau
was less interest in it then in the bite suit material tugs. Oh well
maybe one of the other dogs will like it better? I guess he likes his ball on the string and that's all that he likes and I better get used to it ;-)


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## Marta Wajngarten (Jul 30, 2006)

Denise you'll find a lot of dog sports use tugs as rewards, just watch an agility or flyball trial. In general, rewarding with tugs maintains and can even increase the speed with which the dog performs the behaviour, food on the other hand tends to slow them down. Food is great for teaching, but many dog sport people will move from food rewards once the dog understands the behaviour to toy rewards to help increase the speed with which the behaviour is performed.


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

Besides, when the training gets fast and furious, I like to see the little nicks and the looks the handlers get on their faces when they get nicked, all while playing with the tug. ha ha ha

DFrost


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

David Frost said:


> Besides, when the training gets fast and furious, I like to see the little nicks and the looks the handlers get on their faces when they get nicked, all while playing with the tug. ha ha ha
> 
> DFrost


I think a lot of those "nicks" are only and acident the first time. :twisted:


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## Ross Rapoport (Aug 4, 2011)

Got so many 'nicks' I can't even count anymore.


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## Brian Anderson (Dec 2, 2010)

David Frost said:


> Besides, when the training gets fast and furious, I like to see the little nicks and the looks the handlers get on their faces when they get nicked, all while playing with the tug. ha ha ha
> 
> DFrost


David my freakin hands look like I stuck them in a meat grinder to see if the blade was sharp LMAO ... its those shots you take to the knuckles that make ya say "damnit" lol. At this point Im not sure I even have a look when I get latched on to it happens so much.


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## Kirstyn Kerbo (Apr 3, 2010)

My pup shreds and puntures anything I try to play tug with her with (just got her adult teeth in). I've tried getting away with buying toys at the local stores. Even the 'tough' brands and fire hose stuff lasts mere minutes.

So the bite suit material type are best? I can't find any tugs locally, so I will check out those websites. What about Ray Allen?


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

Brian Anderson said:


> David my freakin hands look like I stuck them in a meat grinder to see if the blade was sharp LMAO ... its those shots you take to the knuckles that make ya say "damnit" lol. At this point Im not sure I even have a look when I get latched on to it happens so much.


I tell my handlers two things about nicks and scrapes on the hand.

1. I look at the intent of the dog. If the intent is to get the tug and the dog is getting you instead - - - move faster.

2. There is no block to check for stupid on the IOD form. ha ha.

I use a lot of the "jute" toys that Ray Allen (or whoever is low bid when I buy) carries. I like them and a couple will usually get me through a class (per dog). This class I even have a couple of dogs that really like the King or Kong Wubba. I'm old fashioned, I use whatever the dog likes best.

DFrost


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## Brian Anderson (Dec 2, 2010)

David Frost said:


> I tell my handlers two things about nicks and scrapes on the hand.
> 
> 1. I look at the intent of the dog. If the intent is to get the tug and the dog is getting you instead - - - move faster.
> 
> ...


David I am typically working 3-4 dogs on tugs. It's never intentional on their part. And I could wear gloves but don't like it. A couple of my dogs are wayyyy faster than I am LOL.


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## Kirstyn Kerbo (Apr 3, 2010)

How long are tugs supposed to last...generally?

THey seema little pricey for something that can be destroyed in one session. Am I just being picky? :twisted:


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## Jennifer Marshall (Dec 13, 2007)

A good tug should last a while, at least a year or more. I have several 3+ year old tugs. I recommend suit material tugs from Ray Allen or Elite K9. I don,t recommend All K9/Redline K9 as I have had several of their tugs and the material is poor quality, easily puntured/ripped. I don't bother with pet store tugs they are junk. I do use hard plastic retrieve bumpers on rope and kong on rope as well.


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## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

re: "My pup shreds and puntures anything I try to play tug with her with (just got her adult teeth in). I've tried getting away with buying toys at the local stores. Even the 'tough' brands and fire hose stuff lasts mere minutes."

i've never had or even seen a dog destroy a fire hose tug in mere minutes, but i'm sure your definition of "try to play" tug play is probably a lot different from mine 
....to me, sounds like a pup given too many toys to destroy, or are you one of those hyena handlers from africa ??  

i don't consider that tugs are toys for a dog, and for me the time they are in a mouth is usually measured more in seconds rather than in minutes, and they are being bitten not chewed, but ymmv

fwiw, i have worked with many owners who actually like to watch their dogs destroy a toy; almost as if it is a measure of how "strong" (?) their dog is :-(


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## Brian Anderson (Dec 2, 2010)

Im with Rick ... we don't allow the dogs to gnaw on tugs they are not toys and the dogs never are allowed to possess them and have their way with them. I have tugs that I have had for years some I made some I bought from different places. The ones I make are my favorite. I really recommend not letting the dogs use them as toys or chew thingys.


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## Benjamin Allanson (May 2, 2008)

rick smith said:


> re: "My pup shreds and puntures anything I try to play tug with her with (just got her adult teeth in). I've tried getting away with buying toys at the local stores. Even the 'tough' brands and fire hose stuff lasts mere minutes."
> 
> i've never had or even seen a dog destroy a fire hose tug in mere minutes, but i'm sure your definition of "try to play" tug play is probably a lot different from mine
> ....to me, sounds like a pup given too many toys to destroy, or are you one of those hyena handlers from africa ??
> ...


Lol YES I could see that becoming some kind of new dog sport. Timed toy ripping contests. AND COMING UP NEXT THE FLUFFY WEINER DOG DOUBLE SQUEAKER DIVISION. 


---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=43.037515,-76.299032


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## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

actually the one who came to mind is a big BMD whose numbskull owner likes to take him to demo his skills at shredding in a close by park :-(
- he gives em a toy to show off for awhile; then brushes it out, leaves all the fur to scatter all over the place .... then leaves :-(
.. a real ambassador for responsible dog ownership eh ?


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