Video summary
The video addresses the common question of whether owners should engage in tug-of-war with their dogs or puppies, concluding that while the activity itself is powerful and beneficial for building play drive, it must never be played without strict rules. The speaker explains that unregulated tug-of-war creates adversity between the owner and the dog, effectively breeding aggression by teaching the animal to view the toy as something to be stolen rather than shared. In the protection world, this game is often used intentionally to build aggression through toys, but for most pet owners who lack proper technique, it leads to conflict. When owners try to yank a toy out of a dog's mouth or steal it unexpectedly, they trigger the dog's prey drive, causing the animal to chase and bite harder in an attempt to regain possession, which can eventually manifest as growling at toys or even food-related aggression in puppies as young as four months old.
To prevent these negative outcomes, the speaker emphasizes that tug-of-war must be conducted with clear boundaries where the owner maintains complete control over the game rather than letting the dog dictate the rules. The ideal scenario involves a command-based interaction where the dog learns to release the toy immediately upon hearing a specific cue, such as "out," without hesitation or negotiation. The speaker demonstrates this by showing how he manages his own high-drive puppy, Hobbs, by allowing him to enjoy the game while occasionally using gentle pressure or movement to keep the drive up, rather than constantly stealing the toy. This approach ensures the dog understands that the owner is not a thief but a partner in play, reinforcing respect and preventing the development of possessive behaviors that could lead to dangerous situations if left unchecked.
A critical rule highlighted throughout the video is the absolute prohibition of physically pulling or yanking the toy from the dog's mouth while they are chewing on it, as this action teaches the dog that the owner is a competitor who will take what they have by force. Instead of engaging in a physical struggle that mimics theft, the owner should use verbal commands and body language to signal when the game ends or when the dog needs to release the item. The speaker illustrates that if an owner tries to win the toy through force every time, the dog will learn to guard it more intensely, leading to mouthing and potential aggression toward family members who attempt to intervene. By consistently rewarding the dog for releasing the toy on command and never punishing them for holding onto it unless instructed, the owner builds self-control and ensures the game remains a positive bonding experience rather than a source of fear or hostility.
Ultimately, the conclusion is that while tug-of-war is an excellent tool for managing high energy levels and building play drive, it requires discipline to ensure it does not evolve into a behavior problem involving aggression toward people. The speaker advises owners to establish a routine where the dog knows exactly when they can have the toy and when they must let go, using positive reinforcement like praise and petting to encourage compliance rather than fear-based tactics. By controlling the game and refusing to steal the toy, owners can prevent their dogs from becoming paranoid or overly aggressive, ensuring that the activity remains a safe and enjoyable way to exercise their pets. The video serves as a warning that without these specific guidelines, what starts as innocent play can quickly turn into a liability, making it essential for every owner to learn how to play tug-of-war properly from day one with their puppy.
Read the full video transcript
All right, today I want to talk about
the game of tug of war.
There's a lot information out there.
Tons of our clients always this is
one of the questions that they have as
far as psychology.
Should we play tug of war with our dogs
or puppies?
And generally the answer is no.
Because it does create
adversity between you and the dog.
This is how personally, you know,
anybody who's in the protection world,
we build aggression
through toys and playing tug of war.
So, that's how you bring out the
aggressive nature for future.
But, when you're playing this, you know,
all the owners they don't know how to
play this properly, so they start
pulling on the dog, doing these things,
making a
you know, a conflict between them and
the dog. They don't know how to play it.
They try to yank it out of the dog's
mouth.
He lets go with the pull it away. They
make prey. The dog starts coming after
him harder.
Then eventually what we start getting
and we have tons of clients with puppies
that are anywhere from 4 months old to 6
months old and the puppy's already
growling at them.
And they go near toys and the puppy
growls. Then they start can start to
turn over to food. So, the tug of war
game is a very powerful game for a dog.
It gives a lot of power and it creates
a lot more prey drive when you do this.
So,
with our own puppies,
even my Goldens, we start to do this
from day one because I want to build as
much play drive as possible.
But, there has to be rules to the game.
So, you cannot just play tug of war with
a dog and have no rules and start
stealing toys and and fighting and
trying to
win the toy from the dog because now
you're going to cause all sorts of the
between you and them relationship-wise.
So, here with Hobbs, I just started this
uh a day or two ago.
He's got massive play drive.
And he does have a little issue because
he is so prey driven for the toys that
he does
tend to go after other puppies that come
near the toys. He becomes possessive.
So, here with him, I'm teaching him
on cue, we can play this game and for
future, I don't get into any problems
with my own dog.
So, here I let him have
I pull on a little bit, I make more
drive,
more conflict for him. The more I pull
on it, the more I turn him on.
Right? But the game is
here
I'm going to relax him,
let him feel good.
If I ask for it, out. Good. Good boy.
And immediately he has to let go of the
toy.
And during I'm not going to ask him more
than once. I want him to let go of it
immediately.
Okay.
And when I say okay, he can have it
again.
And then while playing this game,
here you see me, right? See, he let go
there. So, since it's new for him and
I've been adding discipline to this
game,
he tends to let go a little bit
sometimes. So, here, come on, I'll turn
him sideways. I keep the drive.
He lets go.
Do the chase of it, get his prey going.
Pat him. Good boy. Like I'm not going to
steal the toy from him all the time or
make him let go of it. He can have it,
he can enjoy it.
So, here
when he starts getting chewy and mouthy
and starts letting go,
I put my hands on it. I let him have it.
Telling him that I'm not going to take
it from him and make him let go every
single time.
Boy.
Touch. Touch. Touch. I pet. No out.
Touch. Touch. Touch. I with him.
No out.
So, I let him know just because my hands
go on it doesn't mean that I want it or
he has to let go.
Good boy. I'll move him around a little
bit instead of letting him making him
let go.
Good boy. I don't want him to become
paranoid
and lose his drive for the game.
Good boy.
Grab.
Good.
Good. Out.
Good boy. Sit.
Okay.
Get.
Good. So, self-control.
When I drop it on the ground, doesn't
mean he can go get it.
When I tell him the okay word, he's
allowed, he's free to go grab the toy
again on my command. So, I control the
game. You cannot let in tug-of-war
the dog control the game or you may have
problems down the road with aggression
towards yourself and your own family
members.
And while he has it in his mouth, never
you do this.
He's chewing on it, he's playing, and
you go
like this and try to pull the toy out of
his mouth.
This and try to steal it from him
because this creates a lot of problems
with thievery.
The dog thinking you're a thief. You
know,
then they try harder to get the toy
every time it comes out of their mouth
at you.
And that's when you're going to start
getting pursuing problems and mouthing
at you and then eventually aggression
towards you for stealing. He doesn't
think you won it.
He just thinks you got lucky and you
took it. You didn't win anything from
him. So, that's why you need him on cue
to let go on your command for respect.
That's the game of tug-of-war.