TugDog grabs and pulls a tug toy only when cued
Tug is a structured game with rules: the dog grabs on cue, pulls with controlled intensity, and drops on cue. The rules are what make it a training tool rather than a wrestle. Tug is a reward, not a battle, and the dog should win sometimes.
Also known as: Pull, Tug It
At a glance
- Tier
- 3 · Advanced
- Time to fluency
- 2–5 weeks
- Practice
- 4× per week, 5 min each
- Equipment
- A sturdy tug toy (braided fleece or rubber), Small soft treats for drop-it rewards
Prerequisites
Your dog should know these words first:
How to teach tug
Lure
Present the tug toy and wiggle it on the ground to trigger the grab
- Move the toy along the ground like prey. Dragging away, not toward the dog
- Mark the moment they grab and gently tug for 3–5 seconds
- Cue drop, reward the release, then present the tug again. The game IS the reward
- Let the dog win possession sometimes so they stay enthusiastic
Hand Signal
Present the tug toy at the dog's level as the invitation
- Hold the toy still until you give the cue. No grabbing before the word
- If the dog grabs early, the toy goes behind your back for 5 seconds
- Keep the tugging motion side to side, not up and down (easier on the neck)
Verbal Cue
The word gives permission to grab; the drop word ends the game
- Present the toy, say the tug word, then play
- Periodically cue drop, reward with a treat, then cue tug again
- The cycle of tug-drop-tug teaches that dropping restarts the fun
- End the game while the dog still wants more
Success criteria
- Unlearned
- Grabs whenever they want or does not engage with tug toys
- In progress
- Only grabs on the verbal cue, plays with controlled intensity, drops immediately
- Mastered
- Clean start and stop on verbal cues, can tug as a reward during training sessions
Common mistakes
- Tugging vertically, which is hard on the dog's neck and spine
- Never letting the dog win, which kills enthusiasm
- No rules: the dog grabs whenever they want, which is not a cued behaviour
- Using tug with a dog that has not learned drop it, which ends in a wrestle