Do Labradors enjoy tugging games? Other than the legs of my Jean's Seriously is it a game I should encourage. Previous dogs haven't been that interested. I am always on the lookout for toys to keep her amused. I work on the assumption that If I keep her occupied she won't have time to get up to too much mischief. I would appreciate suggestions of toys that will occupy her clever little, always working mind. Ideally I'd like something that doesn't involve food. She has a Buster Cube and a treat ball. I do several training sessions with her a day so she shouldn't be bored. All this is fuelled from her daily food allowance, as I don't want her to get overweight. We have a couple of Kongs for when I need a bit of piece and quiet. Final question. Did the guy who invented the Kong get the Nobel Prize for Peace? If not, why not
Re: Toys My wife and I have had many dogs and all except one thought that tuggy games were mans greatest invention! Mans second greatest invention was chasing games, and our third greatest invention was fetch. We make tuggy toys out of old rope. Rock climbing rope is ideal as it's very thick and strong, and comes in 50m lengths so you can make plenty of toys from an old rope. Ropes have to be retired after a certain amount of use so anyone who climbs will have some old rope around. Tying a few knots in it gives you and the dog something to grab. Knotted loops are also fun.
Re: Toys [quote author=Mollly link=topic=3883.msg44559#msg44559 date=1388834154] Do Labradors enjoy tugging games? Other than the legs of my Jean's Seriously is it a game I should encourage. Final question. Did the guy who invented the Kong get the Nobel Prize for Peace? If not, why not [/quote] Any of the forum users who do any sort of gundog training will be shaking uncontrollably at the mere mention of tugging games. LOVE the idea of making your own toys out of spent climbing rope... I could be on the hunt for some! And climbing rope comes in pretty colours! Rope toys are great for chewy / fetch toys. As to why there has been no Nobel Peace Prize for the inventor of kongs, I can only think it is some sort of dreadful oversight... Clare
Re: Toys I've come out in a clod sweat I have been known to shout across the house/garden "do NOT play tug with my dog!!!!" at which our guests look very sheepish. I usually explain and/or apologise afterwards :
Re: Toys [quote author=Mollly link=topic=3883.msg44559#msg44559 date=1388834154] Do Labradors enjoy tugging games? Other than the legs of my Jean's Seriously is it a game I should encourage. [/quote] Nooooooooo! No!!! ;D ;D
Re: Toys Heidrun you may need to lie down in a darkened room and for goodness sake don't let the spanners see this post!
Re: Toys I can understand why a lab that's being trained for the gun should not play tuggy. For those of us who are training our labs as pets tuggy is a great game.
Re: Toys [quote author=JulieT link=topic=3883.msg44598#msg44598 date=1388847024] Steady, Heidrun, Steady. Get the smelling salts, someone. ;D ;D ;D [/quote] ;D ;D ;D It's alright, I have regained my composure. ;D
Re: Toys [quote author=Hollysdad link=topic=3883.msg44600#msg44600 date=1388847968] I can understand why a lab that's being trained for the gun should not play tuggy. For those of us who are training our labs as pets tuggy is a great game. [/quote] On a more serious note I completely agree although I might suggest training a give command so the pup doesn't think it's always ok to play tug with anything they pick up
Re: Toys [quote author=Hollysdad link=topic=3883.msg44600#msg44600 date=1388847968] I can understand why a lab that's being trained for the gun should not play tuggy. For those of us who are training our labs as pets tuggy is a great game. [/quote] It is, and Charlie gets to play a very gentle version of it - he gets 3 or 4 very gentle tugs on his frog, I let go, he trots round the room as a victory lap, then brings the frog back for 3 or 4 more tugs. And he gives me the frog any time I say "is that for me?". We only play at gundog stuff. Even for pets though, I think tuggie should have rules. No snatching, for example. The version of tug where a dog is encouraged to jump, chase and snatch for a toy held out of reach, I don't like. Too easy for thumbs and fingers to get in the way. I'm always dead pleased when, on the rare occasions guests have tried to do this with Charlie, he waits to be offered the toy - they look confused when he won't snatch for it.
Re: Toys Our "house rules" for tuggy are similar. Biting is forbidden and we decide when the game is over. If you're looking for old climbing rope try indoor climbing centres. Most big towns seem to have them. Mountain rescue teams and university climbing clubs are also useful sources. As a climber, I'd just ask that you keep your dogs away from anyone climbing. When I'm dangling from a bit of rock the last thing I want to see is a labrador chewing the rope
Re: Toys [quote author=Hollysdad link=topic=3883.msg44608#msg44608 date=1388851092] As a climber, I'd just ask that you keep your dogs away from anyone climbing. When I'm dangling from a bit of rock the last thing I want to see is a labrador chewing the rope [/quote] ;D ;D
Re: Toys I play a bit of tuggie with my two but only with a designated tuggy toy. I also do gundoggery for fun with them, they carry and retrieve dummys no problem and know dummies/ retrieving is a very different thing to playing. But I can understand why folk who do the proper shooting gundoggery stuff would find this a horrific idea! . Actually now I come to think about it since cuilli has got heavily addicted to retrieving she doesnt play tuggie anymore.....hmmmmm She knows its wrong now! And brodick tugs 'carefully', my friend who has always had jack russels moans that brods wont play tuggie properly hes too gentle!
Re: Toys So it's a "Yes" to tug toys as long as I don't intend to use her as a gun dog. Great, something to tire her out. The amount of energy she has is not compatible with the amount of exercise she is allowed.
Re: Toys Good luck. I haven't yet worked out how to tire a Labrador. I think they have Duracell somewhere in their genetic code ;D ;D ;D
Re: Toys I would say training tires riley out more than any physical game. All that happens with physical stuff is they get fitter and stronger. Work their brains and their noses for best effect ;D
Re: Toys [quote author=bbrown link=topic=3883.msg44668#msg44668 date=1388864051] All that happens with physical stuff is they get fitter and stronger. [/quote] Yup, absolutely. If you just do more, they can do more, so you do more....
Re: Toys Tugging Games with a labrador if it is pet and not intended for working /retrieving, I do not see why not. If you have not worked out how to tire a lab, just teach it to retrieve and carry any object back to hand (ball, dummy, piece of rope,I sometimes use a slip lead knotted). Find a field or beach walk the dog along on or off lead, drop the dummy walk on a few yards turn around and send the dog for the retrieve. This can be extended over time to hundreds of yards and then by dropping multiple dummies the dog can be sent back time and again for each one in turn. Certainly tires them out with an exercise they like 'Running' and what they were made for retrieving.
Re: Toys Yes indeed physical combined with mental = tired happy labrador. Mine can run and swim non stop for two hours non stop at the beach and come home raring for more. Forty mins of quite basic memory retrieves in long grass ( we are just learning the gundoggery stuff) and they are snoring happily pooped out on the sofa...
