# DD pup tug o war - keep away advice



## Lefty (Sep 20, 2008)

My 4.5 month old DD likes to play tug o war with my 25' check cord. Gets tangled. Also plays keep a way and shakes, throws and chews dummies instead of brings them back. Any advice? Thanks.


----------



## Sprig Kennels (Jan 13, 2009)

obedience training should take care of that. teaching a dog obedience is more than just sit and stay, it is teaching the dog to listen and to learn how to deal with pressure and reprimand for bad behavior. Start working the dog on a formal obedience program, which includes dealing with bad behavior with the word "NO" which is also a command. once the dog learns this you can start to work on the problems you have mentioned.


----------



## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

I am no pro but I have always had good luck with starting retrieves in a narrow area that they can't by such as a hallway. It is a dog's natural instinct to run away with food or anything else that it wants to keep. Never let him win that battle. The hallway works because it can't escape and you put him on a small check cord. Negative feedback on tug of war has worked and I am pretty firm with it. I am going through the same age as you with a DD. I have noticed that they required a firmer tone than other dogs I have worked with for sure.

Just my two cents.


----------



## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Any time he takes that lead into his mouth yank it out HARD! Soon he will abandon this behavior.

As far as the retrieving part just use a check cord and if he starts the monkey business reel him in and get control over the situation fast. Allowing him to fiddle-faddle around will only make for some really bad habits down the road. If he makes one or two good retrieves, put the bumper up for the day and end on a good note. Keep him in check and dont allow any monkey business when training and he'll soon start to see things your way.


----------



## jeff788 (Aug 7, 2009)

I second what TEX says. I have a 9 month old DD and initially had similar issues. The tugging on the check cord or lead went away real quick with a few brisk tugs and verbal reprimands. As for retrieving, my pup never ran away with the dummy but liked to do a "victory lap" around me with her prize. Working in narrow corridors and rewarding good behavior solved the problem for me. 

One thing that I have found exceptionally helpful with my young pup was "clicker" training (google or check out youtube you'll come up with lots of good information). It is a nice zero pressure method to teach young pups what you want them to do, and it is fun for you and the pup. It has really helped me to fine tune her retrieving to the point that she enthusiastically returns to me, sits and delivers to hand 90% of the time even though she has not yet be force-fetched.


----------

