Tug of war is defined as a sport that pits two teams of equal strength against each other to obtain the same thing. So, is it a good idea or a bad idea to play tug of war with your dog?
You’ll find pros and cons and different opinions, like any other subject you research online. Some will think tug-of-war helps your dog burn off energy, just like walking or running. I’m not sure I can see how this could be true, considering that the dog is standing in place, pulling something with its teeth. These “founts of information” will tell you how misunderstood the activity of tug of war is and that it’s old school to consider tug of war to be an aggression-inspiring game. But if you read further into these information resources, they will explain that there are definite rules to follow, like making sure your dog understands and will comply with the command to sit, take it, and drop it. Will your dog do that?
Some sources say that winning the game is important to teaching your dog to respect you and your authority. Right here, we’re going straight to the “Who is Alpha?” thing.
Internet research will yield data that further states that engaging in the game of “tug of war” should only be played by a human who will win! This tells me that this enlightening advice suggests that not only should the human and canine be of equal strength, as the definition of tug of war suggests, but the human must be powerful enough and determined enough not to allow the canine ever to gain control. Can you do that? Clearly, this is not a kid and dog activity.
The second important rule comes into play after the game ends, and you win every round. Instructions dictate that you immediately put the tug-of-war object away, reinforcing your dog’s understanding that you are in charge. Let me know how it works out.
So, what does Jenna have to say about all this? Well, it seems like a lot of effort and rules to follow with very little benefit and much detriment. Dogs are not people too, and people are not dogs. We are supposed to be smarter, and we are supposed to set the bar. Children are often scratched and bitten by dogs because they play with the dog on the ground, and the dog perceives the child to be another puppy. Pulling an object from a dog’s mouth will only validate and encourage the behavior of NOT giving an object to you and snapping to regain its grasp should you get possession of it. No, I don’t believe tug-of-war will make your dog aggressive if he is genuinely not. I do believe that it can encourage reactive, impulsive aggression. At the very least, it enables your dog to act out any negative, unwanted behaviors like growling, guarding resources, baring teeth, inappropriate chewing/destroying items, and establishing dominance, all of which are undesirable and require professional training. 
Inciting a dog to grab and pull an item from your hand goes against all my better judgment and years of training family dogs to be members of the family that can be trusted to interact appropriately, gently, and lovingly with all other family members. It worries me that if there are children in the household, a child will touch one of the dog’s toys, and the dog will snap at the child. This is referred to as guarding resources. Additionally, like me, you may have large-breed dogs and small or toy-breed dogs. My large breed dogs were always taught to be gentle with the smaller dogs and never take toys away from them. I would never encourage or permit my large-breed dogs to engage in tug-of-war with my small-breed dogs.
Puppies should be taught at an early age to “leave it,” “drop it,” or “give.” Playing fetch or ball is safe and fun; your dog will benefit from the exercise. Any nipping or biting should be discouraged and corrected with proper training as soon as it begins.
