Tug of War: Why This Controversial Game Is Actually Good for Dogs

Tug Has an Unfair Reputation

Tug of war has long been advised against by traditional dog trainers, who claimed it made dogs dominant, aggressive, or out of control. This advice, grounded in discredited dominance theory, was wrong — and following it deprived dogs and owners of one of the most valuable play and training tools available. Research and behavioral science have both cleared tug of war: played with clear rules, it builds impulse control, strengthens the human-dog bond, and provides mental and physical engagement that many dogs find more satisfying than almost any other activity.

The Science Behind Tug

A study by Rooney and Bradshaw (2002) found that dogs that played tug with their owners were more playful, more obedient, more interested in interacting with their owners, and showed no increase in aggression compared to dogs that didn't play tug. The direction of causation may partly be that owners who play more with their dogs also train them more — but the study found no evidence that tug caused dominance or aggression. Other studies have shown that tug is one of the highest-value rewards available for working dogs, frequently used in police and military dog training as a primary reinforcer for high-drive dogs.

The Rules That Make Tug a Training Tool

Tug is genuinely beneficial when played with a few rules that turn play into training:

The game starts on your signal, not the dog's: The dog doesn't initiate tug by grabbing the toy — you offer the toy and give a release cue ("tug" or "take it") before they grab. This builds impulse control around the toy and establishes that the game starts when you say it does.

"Out" or "drop" means the dog releases immediately: Teaching a reliable release before playing tug intensely is essential. Start by trading for a treat: say "out," present a treat, praise and reward when the dog drops the toy. Over time, the verbal cue alone produces an immediate release. A dog that will drop a tug toy on cue in the middle of play has exceptional impulse control.

All four paws on the floor: The dog should not jump up during tug. If jumping happens, pause play briefly, then restart. Consistency on this rule keeps tug from leaking into jumping behavior in other contexts.

You control the intensity: You set the energy level. Calm, measured play is fine; escalating wild behavior that the dog can't settle from is what causes the "tug makes dogs crazy" observation some owners report.

Tug as a Training Reward

For dogs that love tug, it's one of the most powerful training rewards available — often more motivating than food treats, particularly for high-drive working breeds. Use tug as a jackpot reward for excellent performance, as a play break in training sessions to maintain engagement, and as a reward for calm behavior (a dog that sits and waits gets offered the tug toy as a reward). Dogs learn quickly that calmness and responsiveness earn the most desirable play.