Tug toy success!

Selina27

Selina27

Location
Herefordshire, UK
At last I think Cassie and I have cracked the game of playing tug by getting a rabbit skin chaser toy! It's amazing so easy to carry and use and she's really motivated by it … I don't want to speak to soon but it even got her attention in the High Risk Hare Zone field this morning :) I not saying it would have distracted her once on the scent but it was enough to redirect her from searching for it, and I know she wanted to because afterwards we did lots of orientation games and heel work to keep her close, and I could see her nose wondering but she didn't go.
We've had a chequered history with tug, largely me not really understanding it, and then during her crazy hormone days she would be too strong for me and so I stopped doing it, but have spent time building it up recently now things are calmer and we both enjoy it now. First I bought a sheepskin one, I didn't feel right about her tugging on that, and in fact she kept getting a mouthful of wool and had to stop to spit it out ! So I exchanged it for this rabbit one and bingo!
 
HAH

HAH

Moderator
Location
Devon, UK
Selina27 said:
me not really understanding it
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Ooh, I need to learn from you @Selina27. I've seen a few references to playing tug properly, is this having clear 'we're playing now' and 'game over' boundaries or is there a lot more to it than that? (I think I know the answer already...!) And if so, how did you get started?
I got a Tug-E-Nuff sheepskin tugger to play with Kipper but he wasn't very excited by it, and I lost inspiration.
 
Selina27

Selina27

Location
Herefordshire, UK
@HAH , I was totally confused about it for ages and couldn't really grasp the concept. But I kept asking questions and reading, watched AD videos and gradually got it together, @Joy (the Queen of Tug :)) along with Julie T on TLF were really helpful, and then when Lauren said on a video just relax and play without putting on any pressure that was a turning point. Also I have the Retrieving for all Occasions book and that is helpful, via that I found that Cassie is motivated by me dragging something behind me, waving it in her face does nothing for her! So we've sort of devised our own way, it seems to work !
I got everso muddled about how to finish, as you should stop when they are really enjoying it so they keep their interest, I felt mean!
I had the sheepskin tuggy that you have, she was quite lukewarm about that, but this rabbit skin one really excites her. I drag it behind me and when I see her coming I say "Get it" so she knows the game has started, then we play, and stop either when she lets it go or by holding her collar and letting the toy go "dead".
I don't know if that helps !
 
HAH

HAH

Moderator
Location
Devon, UK
Selina27 said:
I don't know if that helps
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Ooh, it really does, thank you! Mainly the reassurance just to relax and make it fun, and I’ll do more reading on it too - hadn’t even thought maybe it’s simply that sheepskin may be less exciting for Kipper than, say, rabbit fur! Honestly, it’s so useful to hear your experience so thanks :)
 
Charlie

Charlie

Location
Argyll & Bute, Scotland
Great news @Selina27 I use a rabbit skin tug with Charlie, he also likes me to drag it on the ground. He's funny with it, he won't take it until I cue "take it" and when I call time I say "drop" and he does. But alas it's still not exciting enough on walks. Hey ho, we will keep going.

Cassie is really doing well, it seems like everything is falling into place. Good for you xxx

I will have to have a look for the book, it sounds interesting. x
 
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