Best Tug Toys for Pit Bulls – Durable and Strong Toys for the Muscular Doggo

Pit Bulls love playing. And as much as they are energetic, they also love using their strong daggers to pull things. When boredom strikes, they will also chew aggressively to pass the time. So to keep your pooch happy without damaging your couch, you should give him the best tug toys for Pit Bulls.

TUG ROPE	TUG ROPE BRAND	EXPERT RATING	PRICE
	Pacific Pups Tug Ropes for Aggressive Chewers		Check Price
	Otterly Puppy Dog Tug Rope		Check Price

These toys are made to endure the tough pulling, biting, and chewing of aggressive chewers like Pitties. As you know, this breed can get really destructive if not exercised and kept busy. If you leave them alone with nothing to play at, they will find ways to get entertained – even if it means shredding your favorite pair of shoes.

If you’re in the hunt for the best tug toys, read on as I gave tips and guides on this post:

Why tug toys?

Pit Bulls are stocky and muscular dogs. This means that their jaws are also powerful than other breeds. You simply can’t give them soft toys and expect these to last for long. What they need are durable and reinforced toys without any harmful chemicals.

And if you want to drain the extra energy that your pooch has, you better get him into play. It’s also important to take your Pitty on daily walks to exercise and socialize him. If not, bad behavior may get the best of your pooch.

Aside from satisfying their physical needs, tug toys are great options for Pitties with dental problems. Still, not all products are ideal. If you get to purchase decent rope toys for Pit Bulls, it will help reduce plaque and tartar formation on your pet’s teeth. It’s a fact that the more a dog chews, the better it is for their dental health.

Would tug playing make my Pit Bull aggressive?

If done right, tug play won’t make your Pit Bull aggressive. It should become a form of interactive play and not something your pet will associate to aggression. Still, some irresponsible dog owners will use such toys to make their Pit Bulls more reactive.

The big misconception among dog owners is that tug play may cause the dog to be highly dangerous. Although tug play is rough, it can actually boost the confidence of your pooch if you do it properly.

Just to prove this, the University of Bristol conducted a study to look at the effects of different play methods when it comes to the human and dog relationship. One of which is the tug play.

The 2003 study observed 50 dogs and owners in different play situations. In the tug-of-war part, the researchers found that there’s no substantial proof that such rough play can affect the dominance of a dog.

What the experts found is that such a form of play actually boosts a dog’s confident interactivity. This is a positive note but often mistaken to be linked to dominance and aggression.

Dogs that have a high score on confident interactivity were found to be more playful, approachable, and love licking their owners. In the end, the study concluded that tug play has the same effect as the fetch play where the human has full control.

But what about letting your dog win intentionally? Below, we discussed this part to clarify more points.

Benefits of playing tug with your dog

There’s no denying that regular play time has lots of benefits to your Pitty. It keeps them happy, burns energy, and it forms your bond as the pawrent. If you’re still thinking twice about getting rope toys for Pit Bulls, here are some of the benefits that will help you decide:

🐕It’s one of the intense games that will engage your Pitty

🐕It will help you explore the behavior of your dog

🐕Tug play makes your relationship with your dog stronger

🐕It will provide a great physical and mental workout for your doggo

🐕Tug play is a great way to improve your dog’s impulse control

🐕It’s an avenue to enforce obedience training if done properly

🐕Diverts destructive chewing into something more rewarding for your pet.

🐕Promotes better dental health

Remember that you have to play tug properly to prevent defeating the advantages. If your Pit Bull tends to become overly excited and harmful during tug play, it might be time to subject the pooch to training. Also, don’t forget to purchase only the best tug toys for Pit Bulls.

Why you should let your dog win at times

Letting your dog win at times intentionally is proven to be beneficial in building his confidence. If you want your Pitty to be a guard dog without being aggressive, tug play can have a big contribution.

Dog experts may have divided opinions about this, but letting a few moments slip will help your doggo. Still, don’t let the pooch feel that you’re being submissive or it will start to lord over you.

It all boils down to making playtime enjoyable for your pooch. For example, in the book, The Genius of Dogs, they found out that those who let their pet win at tug games observe that their pooches are more interested to play.

And why is it important that your dog is interested to play? This is so you can divert him off his destructive ways. It’s also ideal to keep him healthy and happy. Most of all, dogs will likely follow your succeeding commands if he feels satisfied with his interaction with you.

Also, I want to go back to the 2003 study I mentioned earlier. It’s proven that tug play provides better confidence interactivity to your dog. This is a good thing, especially in raising a Pit Bull with a hard-wired tendency to attack or defend.

If you’re not sure how to do tug play, we’ve discussed a short guide below.

Tug toys and bonding with your dog

Tug play is effective in making playtime fun and interesting for your pooch. If you’ve just gotten your Pit Bull pup, the best tug toys for Pit Bulls among other methods of play are effective in forming your bond with the dog.

Almost all dogs love playing tug but it’s also important that you set the rules (see below). You can even use tug play for obedience training as you teach your dog how to control his biting and pulling tendencies.

Once your dog learns how to tug on cue, play time will be safer and not rougher than when you started with. Most dog owners miss this potential when buying tug ropes. These toys aren’t supposed to stay on the floor. You should use it to catch the attention of your dog, teach him self-control, and give him exercise to keep his weight in check.

The rules of tug play

Don’t let your Pit Bull play tug without any limits. Also, don’t intimidate or shout to your dog when the tugging gets too rough. Remember, Pitties can get really excited when it comes to playing and chewing. Don’t conclude that it’s bad behavior right away. And even if it’s a behavioral problem, violence isn’t the solution.

So to set the boundaries and keep you the alpha of the house, here are the three tug rules you should impose:

1. No biting on your skin or clothes

Always end the game when your Pitty starts to mouth your skin or anything other than the tug rope. If you let this happen without letting your dog know it’s not acceptable, your pet will tug other people’s clothes.

Stopping the game when he nibbles something else will let the pooch know that you’re the boss and they need to control its self.

2. They need your permission

Don’t let your dog initiate the game. If you let him, the dog will think that he can impose to you what he wants. Instead, ask him to sit or wait for the pooch to calm down before starting the tug-of-war game.

It’s also best to place the rope toys for Pit Bulls on the floor and ask your dog to pick it up and give it to you. This way, the doggo will learn to follow your commands.

3. The dog should let go whenever you ask

The biggest challenge to tug play is asking the dog to stop pulling or biting the rope. On the course of the play, you should teach your dog to let go of the toy by saying “Leave it!” or “Drop it!”

In this video, Victoria teaches us the rules of tug play:

How to play tug toys properly

When playing the best tug toys for Pit Bulls, remember the three rules I mentioned above. With that, you can proceed to the following steps:

🐕Use verbal cues

Your dog only relies on your body language and verbal cues for communication. When playing tug, always use consistent words to let him know what he’s supposed to do. The likes of “Leave it!”, “Get it!”, or “Drop it!” are important to give you the control over the game.

Say the words repeatedly so your dog will recall it the next time you play. If the pooch refuses to follow, stop the game. Still, don’t hurt or punish your dog.

🐕Dropping and pulling on cue

The only effective way to teach your dog how to drop or pull the rope on cue is to use the reward system. Hide a few treats on your pocket and whenever you need the dog to release the rope, put one close to his nose. The pooch will smell it and release the rope. When he does, say a loud “Yes!” to indicate that you’re pleased with what he did.

Perform the reward system in other verbal cues until your Pitty learns all of it. Once the doggo follows the cues instantly, you can ditch the snacks and replace it with petting or affection. You can also invite the pooch to play more tug games when he follows your cues. When he starts to ignore you, stop the game and repeat the process the next day.

🐕Let the dog wait

In the middle of the play, let your arms limp but make sure that you still hold the tug toy. This way, any pulling of your dog will be useless. Soon enough, the pooch will drop the toy and wait for you to put it back to play.

Once the dog learns that he needs to drop the toy when your arm limps, you can extend the waiting time in increments. This way, you can teach your dog discipline, self-control, and obedience while still keeping the game exciting and unpredictable.

🐕Pull sideward, not upward

Remember, when playing tug toys, you’re only supposed to pull sideward and not upward. This is because the upward motion may damage your dog’s spine and hurt its mouth.

A Pitty has strong jaws and a stocky body, but if you let the pooch carry all of it with his bite, you’re also putting his teeth at risk. The pooch may break some teeth or have swollen gums.

Always pull the toy side to side. Still, make sure that the pooch isn’t the one leading the game.

🐕Take breaks

Growling while playing tug is normal for most dogs. This is a sign of excitement, but if your pooch starts to bare its teeth, it’s time to take a short break. Resume the game once your pet relaxed and toned down.

Here are some signs that you need to take a break:

*Stiff body

*Snarling or wrinkling its lips while growling

*Extended eye contact while growling

All these are signs that your Pitty is starting to be aggressive. If you continue playing tug, it might fuel a negative behavior that will be difficult to change later on.

🐕Don’t let kids play tug with your Pitty

Tug play can get really rough. Regardless of breed, it’s not advisable to let kids play this. Unless you’re closely supervising, you should reserve the tug-of-war for your own playtime with the dog. If you have kids, you can allow them to play fetch with your dog instead.

The excitement and strong pulling may put the child at harm.

Get a high-quality tug toy

Setting the rules and playing tug right is nothing if you’re not using a quality toy. You may want to choose a tug rope that’s durable but soft enough to hold. For adult Pit Bulls, it’s best to purchase a tug rope that’s around two to three feet long.

The best tug toys for Pit bulls can be made of fleece, soft rope, and bungee material. Fleece is soft to touch and would be gentle on your dog’s mouth while the bungee material reduces the strain on your hand while still staying strong for the game.

Just one personal tip about choosing a tug rope: be careful with tug ropes with handles. If your dog gets very excited while playing, the doggo may also chomp it.

Choose the right tug toys: Top 2 Picks for your Pit Bull

If you’re looking for rope toys for Pit Bulls, here are two of the best options that I personally like:

Pacific Pups Tug Ropes for Aggressive Chewers

This rope toy package consists of various tug toys with different thickness and length. And for peace of mind, all the pieces are plastic-free and safe even for kids. Also, Pacific Pups offer a lifetime warranty coverage on these toys which just proves how durable the product is.

If you have other dogs aside from your Pitty, this rope toy package will be worth the purchase. It also comes with a free giraffe dog floss toy to help keep your pooches’ teeth healthy.

I personally tried and tested some of the ropes on aggressive chewers so these are guaranteed to last long for your Pitty. Also, you no longer have to clean up torn pieces of fabric. Each tug rope from Pacific Pups is m strong and stiff enough to endure excessive pulling.

Otterly Puppy Dog Tug Rope

If you want something cheaper, you wouldn’t be disappointed with the Otterly Puppy Dog Tug Rope. This is a four-piece package made from washable cotton with fibers that helps clean your dog’s teeth while playing.

The ropes have different colors which make it an attractive choice for both the owner and the dog. Overall, the rope set is perfect for small to medium dogs like Pit Bulls.

This may get chewed a bit after a few weeks which is normal since Pitties have very strong jaws. Still, it lasts long and worth the price.

Choosing the best tug toys for Pit bulls is crucial but knowing how to use it right is even more important. In the end, you and your dog’s safety matters. Playing is fun, but don’t forget to set the rules.