# Malinois tough tugs?



## leslie cassian (Jun 3, 2007)

I haven't bought a tug in a while, but I want to do some work with Ronan using a tug reward. This weekend he destroyed two - a club leather one and a cheap one of mine. 

Any recommondations for extra durable tugs?


----------



## Chad Byerly (Jun 24, 2008)

these tough leather ones hold up pretty well. 

https://www.bridgeportequipment.com/ProductDetail.aspx?productId=81


----------



## John Haudenshield (Sep 18, 2006)

I made one from a piece of Radiator Hose from a Tractor Trailer. I'll take a pic of it and send it to you. Its a fabric reinforced, multi-layer rubberhose.


----------



## Terry Devine (Mar 11, 2008)

John Haudenshield said:


> I made one from a piece of Radiator Hose from a Tractor Trailer. I'll take a pic of it and send it to you. Its a fabric reinforced, multi-layer rubberhose.


I stole my idea from Jerry Lyda, I make my own tugs out of old fire hose. This way you can decide how firm you want them to be.

Terry


----------



## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

You might also look at lengths of hose they use in dairy operations. It's tough stuff.

DFrost


----------



## todd pavlus (Apr 30, 2008)

These have held up pretty good for me
http://www.fordogtrainers.com/dogbi...offrenchlinen-12inchlong-tefl3-2-handles.aspx


----------



## Jackie Lockard (Oct 20, 2009)

http://www.hallmarkk9.com/gappayrolledleather3x25cmsoft.aspx

I used one of those (still have it) for three years with two dogs that were both very rough on their toys. It's just started to fray and come apart, usable if I don't have anything else.

http://www.elitek9.com/Leather/products/64/

And this is my new one, similarly built, I like the colored handles (much easier to find in my messy trunk!). I actually have two of these.


----------



## Matt Grosch (Jul 4, 2009)

dont know if they still are, but I recently got a firehouse and jute tug from signature K9, they were closing them out at $10 each


----------



## Candy Eggert (Oct 28, 2008)

David Frost said:


> You might also look at lengths of hose they use in dairy operations. It's tough stuff.
> 
> DFrost


Also washing machine hose that goes from the machine to the hot/cold outlets works super. It's a clear hose and braided with reinforcing threads. I've also used short radiator hose that has a metal spring inside the coil.


----------



## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Terry Devine said:


> I stole my idea from Jerry Lyda, I make my own tugs out of old fire hose. This way you can decide how firm you want them to be.
> 
> Terry


Amen!! 

Being a member of the fire department is a perk for me.....all the old hose or weak hose comes to my house. I have about 300' of it.......will be in tugs until the day I get out of these high drive monsters.....LOL


----------



## Matt Grosch (Jul 4, 2009)

Do you just wash them in soap? I could get tons, but am a little worried about all the chemicals and junk the hose often sits and soaks in.


----------



## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Matt Grosch said:


> Do you just wash them in soap? I could get tons, but am a little worried about all the chemicals and junk the hose often sits and soaks in.


I use a laundry detergent with bleach (like Tide), scrub them with a stiff brush and then pressure wash them until the water is clear and airdry them. 

They come pretty clean, and I have never had an issue. 

IF, the hoses have been used on like a chemical spill then we toss them, I don't use those. Being a FF allows me to know what hoses have been where, so I guess I would say, if you can get access to them, just ask where they have been used. Most departments would know that stuff.


----------



## Matt Grosch (Jul 4, 2009)

I gotcha, my thought was just on a regular fire the hoses sit in the street and often get some runoff from the house, and also get drug through all the wet burnt junk on the floor of the house. If it was haz-mat stuff I wouldnt think of touching it


----------



## Mike Lauer (Jul 26, 2009)

do u let him keep the tug or take it to the ground?


----------



## leslie cassian (Jun 3, 2007)

The tug (for what I want to do now) is a reward toy. He does not get to keep it, just tug on it. 

Bad foundation on my part - he thrashes on the tug and is strong enough to rip it out of my hands. Reward reinforcement. Working on fixing that, too.

The suit material(french linen?) tug I bought last year is holding up pretty well, but it's a big tug and I haven't used it much with him, mostly with the DS pup.

Do the french linen tugs hold up well in general?


----------



## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

All of my tugs (jute, linen, firehose ect....) have held up really well. Still have Jeseas first tug and she is 4.5 now. 
And, none of my tugs have handles anymore....either they were tore off or I cut them off as they are distracting and make it hard to teach pups to target....they seem to like the handles more. 

(of course there have been a couple sacrificial tugs that were forgotten and tore up....oooops)


----------



## Keith Earle (Mar 27, 2006)

Having been a FF for over thirty years had acess to plenty of firehose all sizes, never had a problems from contaminants we had to wash it all before repacking for our safety,never had a problem .have 5 mals 3 Gsds they old up the best handles dont last long if left alone .


----------



## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Keith Earle said:


> Having been a FF for over thirty years had acess to plenty of firehose all sizes, never had a problems from contaminants we had to wash it all before repacking for our safety,never had a problem .have 5 mals 3 Gsds they old up the best handles dont last long if left alone .



That's good to know Keith. I just never have trusted anything with chemicals. We wash all of our stuff too....well....our Explorers get that job....:mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:


----------



## jack van strien (Apr 9, 2009)

Solo and his favourit tug,used to carry it also on long walks.He has had it for over eight years and both still going strong!


----------

