Tug as a Reward

As an obedience trainer, I am hesitant to recommend tug for handlers.  This is especially true for families with children or for handlers who do not have a positive, consistent relationship with their dogs.  However, as an agility trainer, I think tug can be a great motivational tool and reward.

If you have watched agility, either in person or on TV, you will see the end reward of a sequence or competition is often a game of tug.  The nice thing about tug is that it is not a food reward (so your dog doesn't become distracted and they don't get full or overweight from numerous treats) and it is something that you and your dog do together.

There are many different tug toys (not all are 'competition' friendly, but are good for practice).  A handful are shown below.  For actual tips on how to implement tug in your dog's agility, please see a Zoomdog Trainer :)

Many handlers use a special leash or attach "bumpers" to their leash.

I particularly enjoy these.  The product description says:

'These Hi-Drive Tugs are made from the rubber liners used in milking machines. They are run through the dishwasher for cleaning and sanitization, but maintain the seasoned smells your dog will love - earthly barn, hay, cow, and warm milk.'

They even mention that they are dishwasher safe (yum!).

These have a velcro pouch so that you can put smelly treats inside:

Another toy made from recycled materials-this time water went through these hoses rather than milk!

The dog may love this one, but the rabbit who 'donated' his fur sure didn't...

This particular one is stretchy and won't absorb excess slobber: