Tug-of-fun

Adult Labrador, inside, in training barn, playing with toy.

Dogs are social, intelligent and active animals so it’s important to give them opportunities to exercise their bodies and minds.

Enrichment games, like tug-of-fun, are a great way to do this – our coaches at Dog School recommend using these tactile creations to keep dogs content and occupied.

What you'll need for tug-of-fun

a sturdy rope or ragger toy that you can grab one end and your dog can grab the other. Be sure there is plenty of space between your hand and your dogs mouth!

How to do it

Hold one end of the rope and encourage your dog to grab the other, maybe by swishing the toy on the floor or wriggling it about.

Once they grab hold of the toy, tug it gently to see if they tug back. Dogs naturally want to use their mouths for holding, tugging and shaking toys - this is completely normal behaviour!

You can vary this game a lot, by having shorter or longer sessions, by sometimes throwing the toy for them to fetch as well as tugging it and by letting your dog win. Dogs can enjoy taking turns so making sure you both win will create a balanced play session!

If your dog signals the end of the game by running off with the toy, let them enjoy playing by themselves. If you decide to end the game and want to put the toy away, make sure you give your dog a tasty treat in return!

If you feel teeth on your skin or clothes at any point, end the game straight away by staying calm, quiet and moving away. Telling your dog off will only confuse them, as they might think they are being told off for playing and not want to join in again.

They need to know they can only put their teeth onto the toy. After a short break come back and play again - they'll soon learn that the fun can continue as long as their keep their mouth on the toy!

This game is not suitable for children to take part in.

It's also important to teach your dog to drop a toy on cue, just in case they get over excited when playing.