Structured playtime at home can serve to promote constructive obedience training habits you will use in your day-to-day with your puppy.
Playing Tug with Your Puppy
Common advice online, and even from some puppy trainers, claims that the tug game encourages aggression, in particular with some large high-energy breeds...Myth busted!
The tug game is great for puppies of all breed types! It activates their natural prey drive, helps them release mental and physical energy, get much-needed exercise, and strengthens the bond they have with you! It also teaches them to listen to you and look to you for direction, and how to quickly settle down on command!
Of course, during the game, you will want to reinforce positive obedience habits of releasing toys when asked, a.k.a. “Drop-it” command! In your puppy’s day-to-day, opportunities may arise, for example, finding a sock, TV remote, or all sorts of items, and you’ll want to ensure they have a strong release!
Initiate the game with your puppy, getting them excited about the tug toy. You can either shake it or squeak it (if it has one) and call your pup’s name in an excited tone of voice! Not the same technique will work with every puppy so you may need to try out a few different methods of engaging your puppy to play!
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On and Off Modes
During the game, you will use different modes to both engage and disengage from playing. On mode simply means you’re actively playing in a fun tug game with your puppy. Fluid movements back and forth, or pulling back on the toy. Any time the toy is in motion and you’re engaging your puppy is On mode.
Off mode is your way of using body language to communicate to your puppy that you want them to stop tugging. To do this, tuck your elbows into your ribcage and add tension to the toy while also stopping those fluid movements. This essentially forces the toy to go still, out of play, and it’s no longer fun for your puppy encouraging them to let go.
Depending on the size of your puppy, you may prefer to be standing with your knees bent while holding the tug toy out and away from you. If you have a smaller puppy, you may be able to kneel or sit on the ground while playing. In the lowered standing position, it allows you to have control of the toy while also allowing your puppy to pull but limits their ability to jump up on you.
Note: If you stand up completely straight, this may encourage your puppy to jump up against you. Also, if you have a very strong puppy, it increases the chances of losing your balance while playing. With any game, reinforcing good behaviors will translate to other parts of your puppy’s life so try to keep yourself forward and low so your puppy doesn’t have the opportunity to jump up or potentially knock you down!
Teach Your Puppy Drop-It
In the earlier section, we talked about Off mode which is the foundational activity for “Drop-it”. To teach your puppy to drop a toy on command, you will start to incorporate that phrase each time you stop playing with the toy and your puppy lets go of it. Make sure that when you say “Drop-it” out loud, you are applying the word to the action. This will help your puppy create the association and begin to learn to drop a toy on command.
Getting your puppy to drop a toy can be a bit of a waiting game in the beginning. Your focus should be on remaining as still as possible to the point where you make yourself boring and your puppy no longer is interested in trying to tug. Don’t resort to pulling the toy away as that will only communicate the game is back on to your puppy. Instead, be patient and wait, eventually, your puppy will let go on their own.
This activity may go on for the first few sessions of playtime and “Drop-it” training before you can ask your puppy to do the command. Once your puppy starts to let go of the toy more consistently, start to say “Drop-it” first instead of waiting them out.
Troubleshoot Drop-it
If you’re struggling with a stubborn puppy that doesn’t want to drop their toy, you can use the trade method. Show your puppy another toy, gain their attention on that new toy by shaking it, squeaking it, etc., until they let go of the one they have in their mouth. Once they let go, say “Drop-it” and reward them with the new toy. And yes, you can reward the “Drop-it” command with a treat to reinforce the good behavior! Offering an equal value or high-value trade is a good way to speed up teaching your puppy “Drop-it” but try to begin by waiting for your puppy to let go first and use this method if you are having issues!
A Few Helpful Tips!
Keep Your Puppy on Leash
During the first few playtime sessions with your puppy, you’ll want to have your puppy on leash. You can attach it to their flat collar as the leash is really there to make sure your puppy doesn’t decide to go rogue, grab the toy, then run and hide with it! It will help you bring them back and regain their focus on you.
The leash will be helpful when playing Tug, especially if you have a very excitable pup that’s literally chomping and jumping at you to play. The leash will help you redirect your puppy’s energy, for example, into a quick “Sit” and “Stay” just to get them to settle down.
Opt for using an actual tug toy
Ropes are great for this type of play. Using a ball can be tricky, especially for those of you with large breed puppies. Using a tug toy that has a handle or enough room for your grip allows you to grab hold and tug back but also, it keeps you from accidentally getting nipped!
Modulate Your Body Language and Tone
When you are actively playing i.e. On mode, with your puppy, your body language and tone are excited, high energy, and overall fun. But what if you switched to Off mode and your puppy is full-on zoomies? This is when you need to modulate, bringing your energy to a calm and still level so your puppy can cue in on its time to settle down.
Strength Matters
Be mindful when playing tug of your puppy’s size, breed, and strength. A puppy is still growing and their jaw (especially on small breed puppies) can be more delicate and can even dislocate if tugging with too much force. Match your motion and the resistance with tug appropriately to your individual puppy for the utmost safety!
All successful tug games will end in a happy and ready for a quick nap pup! That is, until the next game! How did your tug game with your puppy go? Let us know in the comments! If you are having a tough time teaching your puppy to “Drop-it” on command, join us every Wednesday at 1 pm PT on @thepuppyacademy Instagram for a live trainer q&a!
Stay tuned for “How to Play with Your Puppy Pt. 2!” the following week!
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