There are many games we can play with Fido. Let's see together how to play tug-of-war with the dog in the right way.
playing tug of war with dog
Who lives with a four-legged friend is aware of how important the game is not only for his growth but also for socializing and bonding more with his human.
There are many games that we can play with Fido both at home and outdoors, including the tug of war . Although it is an easy type of game to play, you have to pay attention to some rules so that the game does not become violent. Let's see below how to play tug-of-war with the dog in the right way.
Tug-of-war with the dog: how to play correctly
Playing is one of the most useful activities to make your four-legged friend burn the right amount of energy every day.
There are many ways to play with Fido, one of the funniest games is tug-of-war. The latter offers excellent exercise not only physical but also mental to the dog and can be useful for teaching your furry friend self-control .
However, this game can also bring out aggressive behaviors in our four-legged friend, for this reason it is important to know the rules and above all to be able to recognize when the game is becoming "dangerous".
The first thing to do, before starting to play, is to make sure that your dog knows how to recognize the “let go” command , in order to stop the game at the right time.
Then you have to get the right toy. There are various types of tug of war toys:
- Long rope with handle;
- Long rope without handle;
- Rope with ball.
However, as an alternative it is possible to use a long joint that is resistant. Finally, you have to choose the place to play . Tug-of-war is usually a game that takes place outdoors, but it is also possible to play indoors, as long as there are no distractions or places where both you and the dog can get hurt.
How to play?
Once you've chosen the right toy for the tug-of-war, entice your furry friend to pick it up. When Fido takes the game with his mouth, grab the other end with your hand and start pulling. The aim of the game is to pull until one of the two gives up.
In case your four-legged friend never manages to take the game out of your hands, let him win from time to time, it will boost his self-esteem.
However, the most important thing is that you decide when the game should end . When it's time to quit, quit the game and give the dog the "quit" command and take the game back to let Fido know it won't be played anymore. This action must be performed even if the dog is becoming "aggressive" towards you.
How to prevent the game from becoming "dangerous"
Tug-of-war is a type of game that stimulates the predatory instinct of our four-legged friend.
For this reason it can happen that during the game the dog can become "aggressive" towards you.
However, paying attention to some points it is possible to avoid that such a fun game becomes "dangerous". First of all, it can happen that while the dog is playing tug-of-war , it growls .
If this growl is associated with the dog's tail wagging, there is no problem. Otherwise it is absolutely necessary to stop playing.
Another thing to watch out for while playing tug-of-war with your dog is never look your dog straight in the eye while pulling the rope.
In this case Fido sees you as an "adversary" because you are facing each other for a prey (the toy) and your looking him in the eye will interpret it as a sign of challenge.
Finally, when playing with your four-legged friend , in any type of game, it is necessary to always have a calm and calm tone of voice and always reward your dog when he plays correctly.