Best tugs for building toy drive?

Sparrow

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#1
I'm feeling overwhelmed by tug toys on Clean Run. What's everyone's favorite for building tug drive? I'm attempting to turn my "food is so awesome I get overwhelmed working for it" husky into a toy-motivated Treibball student. She likes to tug, but it isn't something she will work to earn at this point.

Rook's favorite interactive toy is a fleece cat toy (a stick with a length of fleece hanging from the tip,) and she thinks leather is super neat.

Maybe a flirt pole? I like working on her tugging, but she does love to chase!

I think she would like this: http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=291&ParentCat=74

Maybe this to use her food drive to work toward toys as rewards? http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=3412&ParentCat=74

Or maybe a fur reward pouch? So many tugs, so little money! She is small (17lbs) but a strong chewer.
 

BostonBanker

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#3
I think it is really personal from dog to dog. Either that, or I have freak dogs, which is also possible.

The Mesh tugs seemed like a great answer for Meg (will put something in her mouth on command, and LOVES food) but the first time it squeezed food into her mouth she got freaked out and refused to ever touch it again. She likes the little pouch toys, which I stuff with food, throw, tug a bit (very little bit, she isn't a tugger) and then open and reward). Like this one, although hers has a fleece braided handle:
http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=3311&ParentCat=10

Gusto will tug like a fiend on toys he likes, but is completely appalled by real fur/skins on toys - other than sheepskin. Things like the bunny fur toys, he gives the hairy eyeball to and walks around them giving them great distance. He will not put them in his mouth, and tries very hard not to touch them at all. His favorite traits include a ball so he can whack himself in the side of the head with it (and my hand, and my leg), thick fleece to bite into, and some bungee so he can whip the toy around without being limited by the flexibility of my arm. His favorite are the Kent tugs from Salty Dog, although anything similar will also work:
http://www.saltydogcanvas.com/planetdogkenttug.aspx

If you can, I'd try borrowing toys from other people to see what your dog seems to like. I have a bag of tug toys that are essentially untouched because neither of my dogs like them; it is a shame you aren't local to me!

I think any toy you find you can tie to the end of a flirt pole (or a leash, or a horse whip) and use that 'chase' drive to get her onto the toy, then slowly reel her in and get the toy into your hand for tugging. Eventually you can wean out the flirt pole part of it.
 

Shai

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#4
I think any toy you find you can tie to the end of a flirt pole (or a leash, or a horse whip) and use that 'chase' drive to get her onto the toy, then slowly reel her in and get the toy into your hand for tugging. Eventually you can wean out the flirt pole part of it.
^This is pretty much what I was going to say :). Anything grabby that you can tie on a flirt pole to twitch and flee while taking the pressure of you out of the picture is a good start for most dogs :)
 

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