12/01/2026
If you want to learn how to PLAY with your dog like a pro…
Ask the dogs!
3 lessons you can take from these 2 tuggers that will make your play sessions with your dog sooo much more fun for both of you:
1. Angles:
If a dog plays tug with another dog, they get nice and low, and the direction of the pull is pretty much straight back and level. We often don’t think about the height difference when we play with our dogs! No dog likes having their head cranked up at a 90o angle. Get lower when you play, and apply tension back, rather than up. You can sit or even lie down to play, especially if your dog is small. Getting lower is also a way of showing that you don’t mean to be threatening, and helps your dog feel confident that it’s only a game.
Don’t assume that your dog doesn’t need this confidence boost because they are full of toy drive - that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not socially sensitive.
2. Stillness:
You don’t have to worry the toy frantically to make it fun. I often see owners putting their dog off the game entirely by shaking the toy around in all directions whilst the dog desperately tries to hang on.
Little moments of movement, with little moments of stillness to let your dog take a turn at leading, make sure the game is more reciprocal.
3. Tension:
DO try to keep tension on the toy, even when it’s still. If the game goes slack and floppy, your dog will feel like your heart isn’t in it, and the fun competition won’t feel worth it anymore.
