Tug of War update for Storm - he now LOVES it

Ok, It is now January 15. I found out about Natural Dog Training 5 months ago in August of 2011, and soon afterwards started pushing with our rat terrier. This was my only recourse as he seemed not only not to know what to do with a tug toy ...he seemed to have an aversion for it.

However, one of the main ways to be with your dog in the Natural Dog training is tug of war, later to

First real tug - way to go Stormeeeeee

Ok, so Storm has been more enthusiastic going after the tennis ball, generally dropping it as soon as his teeth have touched it for more that a second. He has not yet given a real tug with it, but is getting exited having it in his mouth as he knows a treat follows soon. So I went to the store to get some supplies to try out various toys and to make some. I want to find/make something he'll like to bite.




Among the bought items was a rawhide pretzel, and, little smartypants can smell something chewable and even though it is a very hard "toy", he decided that he might like it as a prize.

This picture here is during his first real tug at anything - 3 or 4 seconds....and then I let him have it. He dropped it right away when I offered a piece of the warmed up and "smelly" chicken. Plan: to work with this AND the ball until I can make a toy, or a few ...and gradually keep rewarding him more and more for the longer "tugs" or holding it between his teeth occasions.

I play tug/get the ball between "pushings" - it still is fun - and he like to chase me :). And it is totally true - when they chase you, they are more inclined to bite the toy - or in this case, grab the ball or rawhide-pretzel.

I should say that I still do find it strange that some dogs are so inhibited that they won't tug-bite. Not sure if we got him like this or not, as I have only really started working with him on this 5 weeks ago, and he is 3 years old.

Stormy learning to bite where it is ok - early ball

Storm on box

Goal is to get the bite out and play tug and let him win, play tug for fun, satisfying hunt and bite needs, not needing food, and get the bite out where it is ok - and not at times when it is not ok. Storm saw Skye go for a ball, and occasionally went for it too at the time, months ago - Since he won't bite anything else other than real food, I got a tennis ball to rekindle a memory and it worked - it is the ONLY toy he will open his mouth for and I am using it as an entry point.
This is what one way of our "get the ball" looks like after a couple of days.

Do rat terriers play tug?

Ok, so I am reading in Natural Dog Training that a dog needs to get the bite out. Our terrier will have NOTHING to do with any tug toy, not matter how much I wiggle, try to tease, get him to chase, as soon as he realizes there is no actual food involved - it is over and there is ZERO interest. If I use an actual edible chew bone...he's all game though, but Stormy the rat terrier will not bite any tug toy, let alone play tug.

So I am left with only pushing and the associated feeding? Not that pushing has not had good results, and this is only week 4, but what about the tug and getting the bite out? Does he not need that?

Mind you, this dog has caught many a rat. Their success was greatest while Skye lived with us - rats, moles, and a squirrel. Sometimes, when Skye caught a rodent, she would not kill it. Once I found her playing with a mole who looked to be unharmed and I carried it off to a save spot and I think it got away. But every now and then I found a young rat still breathing but "playing dead", or not dead yet but possibly hurt, I would call Storm the rat terrier over and: "crack" one bite to the neck and it was dead. Thinking about it now - his way of hunting does not involve a lot of tugging on a large animal....They were busy for hours on wood piles or on the ground sniffing and digging for those little critters - then a quick bite and ...dead. He HAS on occasion eaten his prey.
In fact, they both went nuts over rodent noises in tree trunks, wood piles or in the ground, sometime staying on it for several hours. Their passion for hunting really is what bonded them and allowed them to be such good friends imo. They were ..."happy" for lack of a better word, and in a way it was such a pleasure to see them like that.

Anyway, back to trying to get Storm to play tug. So I remembered that during the 6 months we had Skye, our German shepherd husky, he watched her tug, and play fetch a ball, except she'd tease me, not always bringing it back to me but run off with it with excitement or bringing it to the other dogs  - and he saw her get an occasional treat. He even started to get interested in running after a tennis ball himself....looking really cute...and I gave him a treat too at times.

So the other day, after unsuccessful attempts with  "tuggable" things last week, I started working with a tennis ball and HE REMEMBERED. He ran after it and quickly learned that when he picks it up in his mouth - he'll get a treat. We have only been doing this on 3 different occasions and it looks like he is getting really interested in catching the ball with a quick bite then drop it. Today he looked like he would eventually want to grab it out of my hand...will this be the beginning of tug?

Will he eventually enjoy it without getting a treat - at least without getting a treat each time?
Maybe rat terriers don't play tug like the bigger prey driven dogs?
And what if he had never seen the other dog play with the ball?
Is it really that important for him to bite?
Does he really have to play tug? (not that I don't want him to)

I'll keep you posted. Pictures and video coming - but it has been a little busy lately. And if there are any natural dog training enthusiasts out there with answers, please, I'd be delighted.....