Can Playing Tug-of-War Make a Dog Dominant? A Scientific Study Dispels the Myth

A common misconception among many dog owners is the belief that certain games played between dog and owner can cause behavior problems. The biggest offenders are tug-of-war and other rough-and-tumble games. Many have argued that allowing uncontrolled “wins” can shift the dominance relationship in the dog’s favor, over the owner. This never made sense to me as there is no data to substantiate these claims. AND according to learning theory, as long as all parties are having fun, tug, like fetch and other games, are opportunities for your dog to learn a positive association about you and what happens in your presence.

Thank goodness two researchers out of the University of Bristol in England studied the effect of various types of play on the dominance dimension of the dog-human relationship (Rooney & Brandshaw, 2003). Fifty participants, each having owned a single dog for at least a year, were filmed playing with their dog in the style of their choice for three minutes after acclimating to the researcher. Participants took a one hour test consisting of numerous tasks to be performed with their dog. Tasks measured behaviors commonly associated with “dominance” and “attachment” (for details see Rooney & Brandshaw, 2003).

The findings of this study are numerous and interesting. In descending order by popularity, study participants played keep-away, fetch, tug, rough-and-tumble, and chase.

Looking at rough-and-tumble play, defined as wrestling without an object present and consisting of high levels of contact between human and dog, exposed dogs scored significantly lower on Separation-Related behaviors, meaning they were less likely to display anxious behaviors in the owners absence, and higher in Amenability, meaning they were more obedient. The exact explanation of the effect of this play style on separation behaviors is unknown. The authors suggest it may have something to do with fulfilling the dog’s need for contact thus inhibiting exhibition of contact seeking behavior. This along with increased amenability is desirable as the dog is comfortable being alone and more likely to obey learned cues.

Tug-of-war also failed to substantially alter the dominance relationship between dog and owner. Dogs playing tug and/or fetch scored higher on Confident Interactivity. At first glance this result appears to support the theory that tug enhances dominance. However, the authors viewed Confident Interactivity as a positive factor. High scoring dogs are more playful, approach quickly when called, and lick their owners frequently. Plus fetch, an entirely human controlled game, has the same confidence building effect as tug, a result opposing predictions of the dominance enhancement theory.

This finding is consistent with a previous post where I described a study by Rooney, Bradshaw, and Robinson (2000) that found dogs play with humans in a structurally different manner than they do with other dogs. They enjoy instigating play with people and engage in both interactive and cooperative activities. Even a popular game like tug, which has been constructed socially as a competitive game, is functionally cooperative for most dogs. It’s like you and your dog are working together to rip something apart as opposed to working against each other to possess it.

Finally, there is no evidence that allowing a dog to intentionally or unintentionally “win” has any effect on dominance. In fact, dogs may find winning so much fun that they want to play or interact with you more. Plain and simple, they learn that you are fun to be around.

Overall the results of this study suggest that the way dogs play is a reflection of their temperament, learning history, and general relationship with their owner. In no way do the games dogs play with humans effect the dominance aspect of a relationship.

So there you have it! Tug-of-war and other rough-and-tumble games are not only fun, but they also make your dog more obedient and confident. If you’ve learned anything from this post, I hope it is to have fun with your dog and enjoy how play increases your bond with your dog and, according to this study, improves their behavior.

What are you waiting for? Go play!

References

Rooney, N., and Bradshaw, J., 2003. Links between play and dominance and attachment dimensions of dog–human relationships. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 6(2), 67–94.

Rooney, N., Bradshaw, J., and Robinson, I., 2000. A comparison of dog-dog and dog-human play behavior. Applied Animal Behavior Science 66, 235–248.