Tugging is a great – in my eyes probably the greatest – way to play with a toy with your dog.

While playing fetch with a ball also is very fun, the biggest part of the reinforcement (chasing and catching) happens away from you if you play fetch. With tugging, the reinforcement happens right where you are – in fact it only happens when the dog chooses to engage with you.

Many dogs come to us with the desire to tug, especially puppies. In order to make tugging safe and fun for you and the dog, here are two videos with rules and ideas on how to play.

Sometimes owners fear that tugging will make their dog aggressive. This is not true! Dogs can distinguish very well between playing and being serious.

Saying that tugging makes dogs aggressive is like saying that playing Monopoly predisposes kids to become greedy and corrupt.

You can tug as often as you like with your dog.