Post by Admin on Oct 10, 2016 16:35:18 GMT
1. The dog must tug with enthusiasm
Obviously the dog will need to have the proper motivation and drive for the tug. This is why it is very important to select puppies with natural prey drives and build them up through imprinting and development.
2. The dog must out when told to out
To use the tug as an obedience reward, you cant continuously fight the dog over the tug. The faster the out, the faster you can do the next exersice and get more reps in. If the tug is being used as a bridge to a sleeve or a suit, the dog needs a solid out for real life scenario issues.
3. The dog must bring the tug back after you release it
This ties in with number 2 but the key is less about possessiveness and more about focus on the handler and the engagement with the handler. The idea of tug isnt about getting the dog addicted to the tug itself...it is about getting the dog addicted to the engagement with you: the handler. With out you, the tug is worthless. Only with you does the dog get to play with the tug.
So these three rules are crucial.
Michael Ellis has an outstanding video called, "The Power of Tug" and it is an important source of information for any professional trainer.
Here is a quick clip:
Obviously the dog will need to have the proper motivation and drive for the tug. This is why it is very important to select puppies with natural prey drives and build them up through imprinting and development.
2. The dog must out when told to out
To use the tug as an obedience reward, you cant continuously fight the dog over the tug. The faster the out, the faster you can do the next exersice and get more reps in. If the tug is being used as a bridge to a sleeve or a suit, the dog needs a solid out for real life scenario issues.
3. The dog must bring the tug back after you release it
This ties in with number 2 but the key is less about possessiveness and more about focus on the handler and the engagement with the handler. The idea of tug isnt about getting the dog addicted to the tug itself...it is about getting the dog addicted to the engagement with you: the handler. With out you, the tug is worthless. Only with you does the dog get to play with the tug.
So these three rules are crucial.
Michael Ellis has an outstanding video called, "The Power of Tug" and it is an important source of information for any professional trainer.
Here is a quick clip: