# Playing tug without wrecking my hands.



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Does anyone have any suggestions and ideas on how to play tug with your dog and protect your hands from wear & tear? 

I have psoriasis and associated psoriatic arthritis in both my hands. Of course one of my and Gryff’s favorite thing to do is to play tug, but it is *BRUTAL* on my hands! Even if I wear gloves (wich I often do). My hands end up painful and bleeding, arthritis pain and inflammation flares up. My hands are red, swollen, hyper-sensitive due to the inflamation. Any pressure/contact increases the pain, even just wearing gloves causes more pain in and of itself (vicious circle). 

Of course, it’s not like I’m going to stop playing with my dogs. It’s just too much of a great bonding/fun thing to use for playing, and for a reward when working. 

Wondering if anyone has any ideas no how I can play and reward and save/protect my hands from the physical abuse tug puts them through. Same issues with my hands whether I use a sausage tug that I hold at both ends(which is a bit difficult for me to hang on to because of the strenght required which I don’t have anymore because of the arthritis), or if I use a tug with a loop handle or a rope. Easier for me to hang on too, but a killer on my hands. 

I am on anti-inflamatories for pain, and coritsone creams for the skin, but they are of little help when faced with the challenge of plaing tug on a regular basis.


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## BR870 (May 15, 2011)

Could you maybe hang a tug from wrist strap, that way your wrist bear the weight? Sorry, thats the only thing I could think of. 

I always get tooth contact, and have little chunks out of my knuckles from over enthusiasm...


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Gryff is really good at not tagging me - not that it makes a difference from how my hands look - the wrist strap is not a bad idea, but I want my dog to win, get the tug, and bring it back to me to re-engage - so the wrist strap would make that tricky. But that's an idea to consider.


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## Ace952 (Aug 5, 2010)

Go back to the flirt pole as holding that is way easier and less stress? You can tie a tug to it.


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## BR870 (May 15, 2011)

Castlemaid said:


> Gryff is really good at not tagging me - not that it makes a difference from how my hands look - the wrist strap is not a bad idea, but I want my dog to win, get the tug, and bring it back to me to re-engage - so the wrist strap would make that tricky. But that's an idea to consider.


Use a snap on the wrist. That way you can decide when to unsnap and let them win.

Or do what I do, which is always have two of the same toy. Tug tug tug... Let it slip over your wrist. Dog wins... Use this moment to slip toy 2 over your wrist... Then "Hey look what I have..." Tug tug tug on toy 2

Just an idea


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

I really don't have a good idea, but I have psoriasis in the sole of my feet... I feel your pain


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## KSdogowner (Jun 22, 2011)

Castlemaid said:


> I have psoriasis and associated psoriatic arthritis in both my hands. Of course one of my and Gryff’s favorite thing to do is to play tug, but it is *BRUTAL* on my hands! Even if I wear gloves (wich I often do). My hands end up painful and bleeding, arthritis pain and inflammation flares up. My hands are red, swollen, hyper-sensitive due to the inflamation. Any pressure/contact increases the pain, even just wearing gloves causes more pain in and of itself (vicious circle).


Not sure but you may want to try get gloves with Gel pads in them. This would cushion your hands hopefully enough to where there is less trauma to them. I think some mechanics or biker gloves are gel cushioned.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Hmmm, when I did gymnastics I was an uneven bars specialist, so I trained on bars for hours every day. Often both of my hands were a bubbly mess of chapped skin, thick callous, and bleeding open "rips" (when the callous ultimately tears). We used to use this product on our hands where we'd cover our hands and then keep them inside socks over night. It looked and smelled sort of like Carmex. I can't remember the name but I can find out. I'm not really familiar with psoriasis or the acceptable treatments, just something that came to mind.

What kind of gloves do you use? I would try sports gloves like baseball batting or football (American) gloves that fit properly and have padding to them.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Catu said:


> I really don't have a good idea, but I have psoriasis in the sole of my feet... I feel your pain


I have that too - I feel YOUR pain. 

:wild:


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Wow, keep the ideas coming - gel lined gloves? Didn't know there was such a thing. Would they have them at a hardware store? 

Lies, the way you describe your hands from the uneven bars sounds very similar to what my hands look (and feel) like. 

I don't know what Carmex is? I've tried a bazillion cremes that promise the sun and the moon, and it always comes down to good-ole-vaseline, but what a mess! 

If you do remember what you used, I'd love to hear about it.


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## BR870 (May 15, 2011)

Castlemaid said:


> Wow, keep the ideas coming - gel lined gloves? Didn't know there was such a thing. Would they have them at a hardware store?
> 
> Lies, the way you describe your hands from the uneven bars sounds very similar to what my hands look (and feel) like.
> 
> ...


Sporting goods stores. Look in the football or baseball section


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## KSdogowner (Jun 22, 2011)

Castlemaid said:


> Wow, keep the ideas coming - gel lined gloves? Didn't know there was such a thing. Would they have them at a hardware store?


You may want to try AutoZone, Home Depot (for the Mechanic gloves) or even Sports store to see if some biker gloves are gel lined. 

Here is a mechanics glove with foam padding

M-Pact® 3 Glove : Mechanix Wear

Bike Gloves

Gore Bike Wear Tool SO Glove from Realcyclist.com


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Carmex is a brand of lip ointment.

Here it is, HandeBalm:
HandeBalm

I can't find the ingredients but I remember when this stuff first came out. I believe it is very similar to BagBalm. It is not as wet/greasy as Vasoline. If I could find mine I'd dig some out and send you a tin but I have no idea what happened to it.

This is how my hands often looked (ew):
http://crossfitrevelation.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ahmik-hands.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s8m6MtFtkgE/TpJQAyCCweI/AAAAAAAACMc/G8txFR8zS6w/s400/Gavin%27s+hands-3.JPG


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## KSdogowner (Jun 22, 2011)

Motorcycle shops carry the palm gel gloves, too. 

Olympia Sports 715 Xtreme Gel Gloves - Street Bike - Motorcycle Superstore


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Now some of those gloves look really cool and comfy, but some of those prices!!! Dang! 

Lies - ewwww!!! I thought at first that I would post pictures of my hands so people could see what I was talking about, but then decided not to gross everyone out, LOL! Right now they are covered in vaseline, so maybe when they are looking all dried and callused and bleeding, I'll post pictures too. (or just a link).


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## KSdogowner (Jun 22, 2011)

Castlemaid said:


> Now some of those gloves look really cool and comfy, but some of those prices!!! Dang!


I am guessing you should be able to find cheaper versions in sports/Motorcycle/automotive stores.


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## holland (Jan 11, 2009)

Try a fleece leash attach the tug or ball and use it like you would a flirt pole


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## DanielleOttoMom (May 11, 2010)

Gel Gloves:

Deerskin Leather Gel-Pad Gloves - Chilhowee Motorcycle Leather

Get some Cleats:

Cleats - Men's Footwear - ****'s Sporting Goods

Add Some Insoles:

Foot Pain

Then you should be good to go.


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