1. Use food to build interest in toys. I am particularly fond of toys that have a pouch or container for your to put food in. Roo's favorite is a cheap, home-made tug rope attached to a zip-lock container. I add some duct tape to the container to make it sturdier and easier for Roo to grip. The dogs really seem to like the sound of some crunchy food bouncing around in the container. Soda's favorite is a little nylon pouch with bunny fur on one side.
2. Once you make the decision, stick with it. If your dog elects to ignore the food toy, put your dog up. They no longer get to play on their terms.
3. Introduce the food toy in a relaxing setting without distractions. Remember, you wouldn't expect your dog to do a down in a busy obedience class before you taught it at home. You cannot expect your dog to participate in tug in a class if you have not first taught it at home and then generalized it to several venues with increasing difficulty. A really good idea is to go to your training building/yard during another class and work with your dog on the sidelines.
4. Increase your criteria rapidly. This is where I went wrong with Soda and the food toys. I allowed Soda's criteria to be run to the toy for much too long. Laura Derrett called us out on that at a seminar. She said it was great to have drive to the toy, but I had missed the whole tug aspect. When I started Roo with the food toy, I very quickly increased his criteria to mouthing and then tugging on the food toy before I opened the food slot.
5. Clicker or not? I've heard arguments both ways on whether or not you should use the clicker to teach the tug. Honestly, I found it hard to hold on to the clicker and work with my dog. I tend to use a verbal marker instead. If you can handle using the clicker and dealing with the toy, I say go for it.
6. Do not leave your tug toys down for free play. These toys should only be used when interacting with you.
Roo Bear with his Tug-a-Roo
we likey
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