Over the years, I’ve written a lot about tugging. It has almost always been from the perspective of helping people and dogs embrace and enjoy the game. Lately though we have seen a shift… we used to seldom see questions about dogs who loved tugging so much they would not let go of the toy, but now they are more and more common. This is good news for dogs and people the world over, as it means that the myths about tugging are being busted.
If your dog loves tugging so much he can’t let go of the toy, I’ve got steps for you to follow so he will eagerly ‘out’ when you give a cue. It’s just dog training, and anyone can do it!
Training the Out Release
The below steps come with the caveat that if you are building the game of tugging with your dog, we don’t encourage you to use a tug release cue till much later when your dog is a serious tugger. The following is only for those of you who have a dog who is AWESOME at tugging and LOVES it so much he has trouble letting go of the toy. The below will help you teach him to release the toy on your cue.
- Set up a training session with 3 very valuable food items. Consider the WOW factor. The reward you use MUST BE OUT OF THIS WORLD amazing for your dog. Is it the finest steak, or the most luxurious cheese, or something else? Consider the size / value / uniqueness of the treat. Know what your dog will love and use it.
- Prepare by having the three valuable treats quickly available to you. Engage your dog in a game of tug, but be sure to keep it VERY short. When in mid-tug you are ready to cue the toy “out” of your dog’s mouth, stop tugging and become quiet and still (this is being ‘passive’), then cue the word “out” and quickly deliver the valuable food item straight to your dog’s nose/mouth.
- The dog will learn in this short session that the word “out” will be followed by the reward.
- Your mechanics and the order of operations on reward delivery are very important so that your dog starts to pair your passivity with the next cue of “out” followed by a great reward. The game will end with an amazing reward.
- This is a “training” session. You must prepare for it in an organized way. You will find by the third repetition when you go passive and say “out” your dog will predict the great reward is on its way. You will find the dog will anticipate that you going passive means the cue is coming. Once you see your dog anticipating it won’t be necessary to be so quick delivering your food reward. You may also choose to deliver the toy back to the dog as they start to recognize the cue.
What we reward will be repeated. You may have to do another session or two of this over the next few days, but remember that when your dog does start to recognize the word and the act of letting go of the toy, you will need to reward the behaviour in order to maintain it.
SUPER IMPORTANT: Remember we talked about the order of operations above? You should not be putting the reward on your dog’s nose forever. If you do the process correctly, the “passivity” becomes the first cue for your dog to begin to let go – the second cue will be your “out”, and then you will have a rewardable moment.
The reward could be permission for your dog to tug again with ‘get it’, or the chance to do agility or anything your dog loves! Remember that there are many, many reinforcers you can use for your dog that are not food related. My ItsYerChoice game is going to help your dog know he can have the tug when you say ‘get it’.
I first wrote about training the out release in Shaping Success …. I used the cookie for only two to three repetitions during Buzz’s life, and he was an enthusiastic tugger! You want to be certain that you don’t fall into the trap of teaching your puppy or dog to wait to see a cookie first, before he will let go of the toy.
With a strong tugger, be mindful of your mechanics. Years ago, I made a video about high drive dogs using tug as a model …. that video stars Buzz of Shaping Success fame. I’ve shared it on my blog before. If you have a dog who will not let a toy go, don’t mimic the ‘bad dog training’ in the video, practice good tugging mechanics.
But if you have a dog you are encouraging to play tug, there might be benefits to being a bad dog trainer, however pay attention to the fact that I’m only mimicking in the video to crank Buzz up!
There are many cues people use for the toy release … “thank you”, “mine”, “out” … select a word that is distinct for your dog. Let me know in the comments what cue you use!
Today I am grateful for the long bike rides I’ve been able to enjoy with friends recently, including covering 65km on one day this past weekend.
My dog absolutely loves tug and will usually take it anytime over treats. However, I got out some chicken, which is super high value for her and she smelled it immediately and wouldn’t even engage in tug. She just stared at me. I have it hidden but she has a great nose! Any ideas? Thanks in advance!
I have the same problem as Beverly and Christina above. I have a doberman who loves to play tug with me. I go still and say drop it but She will only let go if I am giving treats. Once she know that there are no more treats she WILL not let go. I have been working on this now for at least two months now with no progress. Please, please, please tell me what I am doing wrong.
Is it okay to use “leave it” if that’s what I use to make sure he doesn’t go after something? Also, he scratches. That one is hard to manage.
OUTSTANDING!!
L❤️VE this video clip❣️
I ask him “¿Me lo das?” like a very kind question. I try to be very polite with my dogs. And when I get it I say to him “Graciaaaas”.
.-))
I use “drop it”. With his frisbee, my pup will drop his frisbee on the ground after a short game of tug. With his ball, he will drop it in my hands. He has always retrieved really well. Initially, it was a challenge to get him to drop things because he would bring them back and want to tug—he clenched down and clenched down for dear life. He had no concept of letting go. I found that if I satisfied his desire with the frisbee, he was happy—tug, tug, tug, drop it. With his ball we exchange a treat for the ball, saying drop it.
I have a black lab mix that loves the game, but I have yet to find a cookie of high enough value, that will make him drop it. When I go dead he continues to pull and jerk me. I have been holding on to it, should I let it go? I find that putting my hand under his mouth seems to help some, but I am doing something wrong obviously. Help!
Hi Cheryl! I have a Black Lab, too – determined to hang onto toys and used to keep doing exactly as you describe. After watching these videos, I changed my approach so slightly, but it seems to have been very effective. When I was ‘freezing’, I wasn’t moving but still had ‘pressure’ on the toy – a little resistance to his ‘pull’ so he didn’t pull the toy out of my hand., That LITTLE bit of tightening to hang on to the top is enough to make him think the game is still on. Now, I completely relax my hand, barely keeping it around the toy, while I freeze. If he pulls and I lose my grip, I just step in and take it with that loose, relaxed hand hold again. He quickly realizes there is no resistance and ‘Gives’. Try really relaxing your hand when you ‘go dead’ and give his release cue. Be sure NOT too repeat the release cue IF you loose grip and have to hold the toy again. He’ll get it soon enough!
Thank you for all of these resources. I am using Out as my cue word, but will continue without food reward for now and just use passivity.
How do you add the “get it!”?
Hi CK, “get it” is taught to our dogs in the foundations of the ItsYerChoice game. You can learn the game at Susan’s IYC Summit:
https://recallers.com/iycsummit-join/
I use “mine”. Hawk is not food driven but there are a few top treats that we can try.
Have just tried the first session. Quite successful apart from he is so rough he has scratched my arm with his nails and inadvertently bitten my leg! No harm done. I found being on the floor with him then worked much better.
Used the command ‘give and chicken and lamb as rewards.
For our younges dog there s no food that can measure up with something that you can tug with 😕
You made me laugh.
I usually put my hand out like hand targets and she releases the toy but Love and will do this too. God bless you and how did we ever survive without your wisdom, my life and my bosties are better because of you, so again God bless you and we need to clone you ❤❤❤❤
I use ‘Out ‘ as my word.
Ooh and ps, the Buzz video makes me laugh every time I watch it. Haven’t we all seen handlers doing just that!
I use “out”. Your tug training is wonderful, and such a fantastic reinforcement for my dogs!
What do you use for WOW food if you’re feeding raw?
My problem is the opposite. When Gingi was a puppy, she tugged, and we had fun, and she learned to release no problem. But she won’t tug with me anymore. As soon as she starts to tug, she stops and releases. I don’t know
why – because I play fetch? because she doesn’t want to be too aggressive with me? I don’t know why. But she always stops as soon as she begins…instantaneously. I’ve done some of the tugnaciousness. Not all, I admit. but she isn’t responding. Suggestions?
I wish someone had replied to you as I have the same problem. Did you ever find a solution?
Yes. I’m so sorry I didn’t see your response until now! I have been following the tugnaciousness program, and I stuck with it because Susan knows what she is talking about, and so do her assistants! – and it works wonderfully together with the tug toy made of half fur, half synthetic that I bought ( susan mentions it in one of the videos – from dog dreams toys). I now have a pretty decent tugger….and it gets even better when I play the Bring Me! game, touch right; touch left; tug! How are you and your pup doing?
I have a very high drive Doberman x coonhound. He LOVES tug. The problem is he doesn’t need me to have fun. When I go passive he then just shakes his head and starts to beat himself in the head with the toy. He also has transferred his toy tugging to grabbing the leash when on a walk and he becomes excitable (usually when crossing the road/intersection 🙄). He’s very treat motivated, but pays no mind unless I wave treat at him and I don’t want to lure him. Help. Something is going wrong!!
I have the same problem. Did you ever get a solution?
Hi my que is give which works well and doesn’t conflict with my agility ques like out does
I have a 16 wk old springer spaniel puppy and she is very nippy and tug turns into me bleeding. Any suggestions?
Hi Jessica, Susan has a video on Puppy Biting on Facebook. Here’s the link for you, it’s public so you don’t need to be on Facebook to view it.
https://www.facebook.com/SusanGarrettDogAgility/videos/2390593004596489/
I use “let go” when we’re playing tug and I also use a hand signal – the pointer finger moving down. It didn’t take long at all for Nora to learn “let go”. I just stopped tugging and was very still (so boring) until she let it go.
I use your dog training methodology all the time and everything you recommend works like a charm! thank you for all you do!
Ditto the comments of Alexandra. Love Susan!
My kelpie is a crazy tugger. I use the word drop. I used the stay still, reward method, he does it sometimes but not reliably.
The only time he drops it is when I ask him to peak in between my legs.
If I have any food around, my dog will no tug. Any suggestions? when thee’s no food, she a great tugger, especially if she has initiated the tugging and not me. Help!
Hi Dee, I struggled with this too. What I did was move the food further away until my dog was able to concentrate on playing. After a few fun rounds I moved it closer until it was right by my side. Or you can use lower value food, pay attention to the dogs arousal state.
Enjoy your video a lot especially because I can read what you are teaching for the simple reason. That I am hard if hearing It is very helpful
Thank you
Irene
When tugging, which my 2 yr old Lab loves I use out but with retrieve he usually gives the toy back or puts it in my lap and waits for reward. If for some reason he doesn’t release the toy I say Thank You and he gives it. The ‘out’ is delivered slightly more excitably that the ‘Thank You!’m because I keep retrieve relatively calm.
I use the word bittaw, which means let go. I started by using a treat to encourage the release because he absolutely loves to tug. Gradually the treats were reduced and now he just releases because I ‘might” let him have it again, or we are going to do something else exciting.
Funny, sit works for us.
We found out completely by accident that “sit!” also works for our Terv girl Seri! Go figure….😊
I had same experience as other party – dog will not give up tug by going passive then treat. when she’s excited she’ll just chew ‘regrabbing’ in air. There is no passiveness that makes my dog give up the toy. I have to ask her to sit next to me and wait until she drops the toy (which mostly isn’t a long time but can be when she’s hot), sometimes if I reach for it on the ground she tries to get it and I have to correct her to stop her. When she starts to get a bit more tired/is not as high in training, after she sits and drops it I can collect it. There is no “out” unless I put two hands on the toy and lean into her face and tell her out – I hate having to be harsh/aggressive – but she won’t give the toy with A calm firm request unless a treat lure is there.
Hi Arlene! Along with going passive I will put my hand under the dogs mouth as another cue to release the toy. By doing this it makes tugging a little less fun for them. So I go passive, hand under their mouth, and then say the word “out”. Also use higher value treats like Susan suggested. I can almost guarantee the dog lets go quickly if you have their favorite food close by and keep the training sessions within 5-10 minutes at first.
Have just tried the first session. Quite successful apart from he is so rough he has scratched my arm with his nails and inadvertently bitten my leg! No harm done. I found being on the floor with him then worked much better.
Used the command ‘give and chicken and lamb as rewards.
I use release.
Just gave an unintended demo of the out to a new puppy owner at an open practice. I say Thank You and Puck was releasing just to have the toy tossed again. Thank you for a timely video.
I have such a tugger. I have done the food game for weeks at a time. To no avail. If there is no treat, there is no release. I did have one “retriever” person tell me I didn’t “force” train her correctly. I just smiled and said maybe she was right (wrong!). Mostly Snap doesn’t want to quit the tug game by giving it up. I’ve found that asking her to sit or front usually gets me the toy, ball, etc. All of my other Goldens give up the tug willingly upon request. Still a fan as I’ve raised my last four on Puppy Peaks.
So funny and poignant! Our cue is “drop it”, but I’m thinking of changing to “out”, it’s pithier and hasn’t been ignored before.