# Yanking the ball/tug



## GSDBESTK9 (Mar 26, 2002)

Do you try to yank the ball or tug out of your dog's mouth??

I've heard 2 things:

1. Someone told me once that is it good to try and yank the ball out of your dog's mouth cause it will teach the dog to hold on to it tight or it will loose the toy.

2. Someone else told me to never do that because it can create problems with the sleeve later on.

So which is it? Do you do it or not?


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I think you can pull hard and encourage good grips and tugging without trying to yank the toy out. I generally don't b/c I worry that it would catch a tooth and hurt him. If I yank too hard on the ball I risk yanking it right off and I don't want him to counter too hard and inhale the ball.

My dog likes to tug for the sake of tugging, if he yanks it from me (because he is stronger and has the upper hand using his dog mouth to grip!) he runs back and pushes the toy at me for more tugging. 

Usually if the ball comes out, it's an accident on the dog's part and I'm not prepared. I don't really like this b/c then it flies wild with the dog leaping at my hand before I have control again (but, sometimes I do take advantage of it and pop back into obedience if the timing is right).


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

Maybe I need more coffee, but I don't see how there would be a connection between yanking on the ball and some sort of bad behavior on the sleeve.

I do yank and tug on the toy, be it ball or tug or whatever else, frequently. It's a form of play, and also encourages a firm, calm grip on the object. I do the same with the dowel and dumbbells when teaching the hold. But I don't yank hard trying to rip it out of the dog's mouth. I see no point in yanking that hard, and it would risk damaging a tooth.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

I'm with Chris on this (except that I never do this with the dumbbell or dowel). 

I don't drink coffee and I am still trying to figure out the connection between yanking on the ball and bad behaviors on the sleeve.


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## Ruthie (Aug 25, 2009)

I noticed that the harder I pull the harder Bison pulls. My husband has some physical issues that prevents him from tugging hard, and Bison doesn’t really like to play tug with him. He will start to, but after a few tugs just brings the toy to me.

I pull as hard as I am able, and haven’t seen any hesitation with him on the sleeve, in fact, I think just the opposite. I don’t like playing tug with the ball, it is just awkward to me. The ball is slippery for him and I can’t get a good grip on the rope. IMO the tug teaches him that it is OK to latch on and I have observed him testing different bite behaviors to get a better grip on the tug. I assume that these lessons he is learning are carrying over into protection because he is taking fuller bites than when he first started.

Also, maybe it is because I am a small (although overweight) woman and he is a just over max size male, but is it even POSSILBE to pull a tug away from a GSD?


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: Ruthie
> but is it even POSSILBE to pull a tug away from a GSD?


LOL, not my dog! Not unless it breaks or accidentally slips (the former of which sucks for both of us and the latter sucks for me since he is then wildly snapping at my hands). I tug with Nikon until I can't hold on anymore, he's still going strong, and then either let him win it or lock up and out him.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

If you are tugging with a puppy or young dog you have to temper your tugging to suit the dog's development. You have to make the tugging enough to keep the dog interested but not overpowering.
Very strong tugging and yanking can discourage a pup or young dog. You need to praise the dog as it is tugging so it knows you want him to really pull. At first all this may not be clear to the dog as it learns to play with you. 

The admonition about tugging I have heard in relation to pups and young dogs. If you discourage a youngster it may affect their start in protection. You need to be sure you don't kill drive with your work or discourage the dog.

This connotation is the only one I can think of where yanking and vigorous tugging carries the caution that you need to consider the dog's age, development and understanding.


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