Getting my dog to play tug with me?

My dog and I are in an obedience class at the dog daycare/training/boarding facility that I work at. I have seen the owner/trainer handle her rottweiler and I would love to have a dog like that. I know it is possible, and have definitely been putting in the effort. We are in week 4.

Week one is a dog-free class that is basically informational

Week 2 is Name Game (attention and focus)

Week 3 is loose leash walking and moving attention and focus

Week 4 is Recall

Week 5 is sit (which is taught with a release word always)

Week 6 is down (also taught with a release word)

Week 7 is putting it all together

Week 8 is Graduation, Recommendations for next class to take (cgc, agility 101, rally 101, etc) and Individual Progress Reports.



So we are working on recalls, but our homework actually turned into teach your dog to play with you. HOW DO I TEACH MY DOG TO PLAY TUG WITH ME!!! She teaches recalls using tug. You stand 15 ft. from your dog, somebody holds it and when they feel it going for the toy you say ';PUPPY COME!'; because she feels that they need to drive hard to you. I cannot get him to want to play with me. He has gotten better, but it's still half hearted. He will play with it, but as soon as i touch it he drops it and won't play with me. If I lay on my back he will play. Am I too dominant? Any help=APPRECIATED!!!Getting my dog to play tug with me?
Every dog is different. Some dogs enjoy tugging more than others. Tugging is working on their prey drives. You want to make the toy like a bunny.

1. First chose a tug that has a lot of movement and is soft on your dogs mouth. Experiment, some dogs really go for animal skins.



2. Make the toy a Bunny. Next make the toy move a lot, away from your dog, you can cross in front of him but don't shove it in its mouth (Bunnies dont jump into dogs mouths). Make your ';bunny'; run away from your dog.



3. Let your dog win. When your dog finally grabs the toy, wiggle it but don't ask it to tug quite yet. Let him have it. Play with him, try to ';sneak it from him';. If you happen to get it, then make him chase it and ';catch it'; again. Keep your dog on a leash so he doesn't run away with the toy and self reward. Fun with the toy comes only when interacting with you. Since your dog is not a natural tugger, you can start your actual tugging after he gains some confidence. When you do want to get the toy from the dog, don't take it from him. Make him release it. Just hold the tug still and wait for the dog to let it go. If there is no movement the Bunny is dead and the dog will let go. Sometimes when he releases, start the game again, sometimes end the game and put the toy away. Always stop the tug game with your dog wanting more.Getting my dog to play tug with me?
Be loud and excited and put the toy in his mouth until he pulls and praise him and keep dangling it around him so he wants to bite it. I don't think it has anything to do with dominance he just doesn't know how to play with it, or just isn't to keen on it, have you tired throwing a ball or playing other types of games?



Or maybe having him see how you play, thats how my pup learned to play tug-o-war, from watching me and my older dog play.
the best way is to sit down in front of him with a toy and move it slowly side to side. he'll start watching it moving back and forth and then he'll pounce on it and you pull it away from him and he'll keep trying to catch it so just keep pulling it away and get him to chase it, he'll eventually catch it and hold on and you tug on it with him.



other ways to start the game while you are sitting are hiding the toy behind your back then showing it to him out one side, hiding it, showing it out the other side, hiding it then ';attacking'; him with it (like rubbing his side with the toy and then pulling it away again) sort of like the way puppies play- they run up to eachother and then run off then run up and wrestle then run away. also throwing the toy up in the air and catching it and throwing it up and catching it. just ways to tease him and make him want to grab it!



i sincerely doubt that you are too dominant, you just haven't shown him the game yet! remember puppies love chasing things, being chased, wrestling and biting stuff. find a way to do some of these and it's a game he will love





EDIT: just thought of something else my dog loves, she loves it when i roll her onto her back and use a toy like a puppy- put it on her tummy so she can bite it but wrestle with it, so i'll make it ';attack'; her and pin her down or roll her around and then pull it off and move it away hiding it behind my back and getting her to chase it around me etc. then i'll push her back over and roll her around with it!
Just like people, dogs like different games. Breed plays a big role in what a puppy likes - what game is going to prepare the pup for his breed's adulthood.



I have Siberians, an Akita cross and a terrier - they all love tug of war and being ';chased'; - i.e. ';hunting'; games. They all detest fetch (they will get the ball and then want to be chased - again preparation for hunting and pack life). Retrievers tend to like fetch, herders want to drive things around, etc. What game does your dog like? I don't see what breed your dog is?



You can teach a dog to ';hold'; - put something in it's mouth. You can probably teach them to ';keep'; - keep hold of the item. That doesn't mean they will enjoy tug-of-war. A people-oriented dog will probably easily give you the object if you grab it - good ';pack'; manners - if the alpha wants it, let them have it.
Clean Run magazing just ran a very detailed 3 part article on training dogs to play. You can purchase individual issues, either paper or electronic (which would be immediate), and they are excellent resources (and of course there is other great info if you decided to do agility!).



www.cleanrun.com