Tug with rules
Short rounds of tug that end on a "drop it", so your dog gets a burst of play and a lesson in self-control at the same time.
What you need
- Rope or tug toy
How to do it
- Use a long rope or tug toy so your hands stay well away from your dog's teeth.
- Invite your dog to tug. Keep the toy low and pull side to side, not up and down, so your dog's spine stays straight and their front feet stay on the floor.
- After 10–15 seconds, go still and say "drop it". When your dog lets go, praise and start another round as the reward.
- Two or three rounds are enough. Finish with something calm, such as a sit for a treat, and put the toy away.
⚠️ Safety
Supervision: Stay with your pet the whole time.
Use only light resistance with puppies and older dogs. Never lift a dog off the ground by the toy. Don't play tug with a dog that is injured or shows signs of pain, and never pull a toy from a dog's mouth by force or chase a dog that runs off with it. Put the toy away after play so it isn't shredded and swallowed.
👀 What to watch for
If your dog won't let go, gets more and more wound up or grabs at hands or clothes, stop the game and practice "drop it" with a less exciting toy.
Try next
Calm massage
Slow, gentle strokes from head to tail: a quiet way to bond with your dog at the end of the day.
Cavaletti poles at home
Low poles on the floor for your dog to step over: careful, controlled movement for a day indoors.
Delivery box search
A few empty delivery boxes spread around a room, some with treats inside. Your dog searches them all by scent.
Digging pit with buried toys
A kiddie pool or sandbox of clean sand where digging is allowed, with toys buried for your dog to find.
Find the toy
Hide your dog's favorite toy and send them to sniff it out: a scent game that needs no food at all.
Frozen stuffed toy
A rubber toy stuffed with part of your dog's meal and frozen. It takes much longer to empty and keeps your dog busy and calm.