pitbullmamaliz wrote:So don't use "drop it" when I'm ending the session, just when it means that more fun is going to come? Makes sense.
And how long do you guys tug for? 5 seconds? 30 seconds?
Because I have dogs that tend toward being resource guarders, I try to only ask them to drop it when I'm going to give it back (I know this sort of defeats the purpose of the command, but it's something I want to know I can use reliably when it's necessary, and we're still in the learning stages with Robin, especially) so I end play by offering something totally awesome that they can keep in exchange for the toy-- like a kong with even a teaspoon of peanut butter-- or I ask them to drop it and then do a series of commands with treats, usually something that requires them to look away from me while I hide the toy
, in order to distract them. But again, I'm dealing with one in particular who is prone to guard, so I never want a release command alone to mean "bad" things. Did that make any sense?
When I play tug with the girls, I do the same thing as I do with the ball: ask for a behavior or series of behaviors, then give the ok to get the toy. We tug for 5-10 seconds (honestly, it varies), then they are asked to give it back, then maybe to sit, or watch me, and then repeat the whole process. For me, I just use the toy as a way of working training into everyday activities, and not so much as a structured part of our training, if that makes sense. I have an hour long commute each way to work, so I gotta squeeze in the training any place I can!!
"In these bodies, we will live; in these bodies we will die.
Where you invest your love, you invest your life." --Marcus Mumford
--Amalie