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Tug is can be an excellent reward and motivator depending on the dog. Using toys to train can make training more fun and upbeat!
Examples:
For my young dog, Dallas, I only use tug or fetch as a reward for behaviors that I want a high level of energy . Because of her extremely high energy level and drive, it is difficult to use such an exciting reward for more sedentary behaviors or those that require duration. We are working on impulse control and hope to get to a point where we can have an obedience type training session using tug as a reward soon.
For my older dog, Lucy, tug is an excellent reward for any type of behavior. Although, I primarily use it for high energy training.
I posted a training video below of Lucy. I am using tug and catching the frisbee as rewards!