Tether Tug Review: Would It Be Good for Your Dog?

What is a Tether Tug and How Does It Work?

The Tether Tug is an outdoor dog toy that comes with a thick pole that you drive down into the ground with a toy that snaps on the tip of the pole. Your dog gets to then tug and pull at the snapped-on toy without the pole being pulled up from the ground, and it's flexible enough to withstand the strongest pulls.

When you order this toy, it comes a heavy-duty base that sticks in the ground, pole, and a toy for larger or smaller dogs. It gives your dog a freestanding toy that they can run up on and interact with for hours at a time on their own with no additional input from you.

Different Sizes of the Tether Tug

The Tether Tug comes in four different sizes that allow you to customize your order to suit your dog's size and weight. You get generous size ranges that lets you quickly find the category that your dog's weight falls into, and they are:

• Below 15 Pounds - Tether Tug Toy for Puppies and Small Dogs
• 15 to 35 Pounds - Tether Tug Toy for Medium Dogs
• 36 to 60 Pounds - Tether Tug Dog Toy for Large Dogs
• 60 Pounds to 100 Pounds - Tether Tug for Extra Large Dogs
• 100 Pounds and Up - Tether Tug Uber

There is also an indoor Tether Tug that is available for dogs under 30 pounds. It's important that you pick out the right size because each size comes with different interactive parts to suit your dog's strength.

Benefits of the Tether Tug

The Tether Tug comes with several benefits and features that make this toy so popular among dog parents. These things include but are not limited to:

• Weight Loss - Roughly 59% of dogs are overweight in the United States, and this puts added stress on all of your dog's systems. Tether Tug's moving parts give your dog an interactive toy that encourages them to move around and burn some of the excess fat off each time they play with it.
• Stimulation - This toy gives you dog both mental and physical stimulation, and this is important to help curb destructive behaviors. It can help to wear your dog out and prevent behaviors like chewing, barking, digging, and reduce their frustration levels.
• Bonding - Since your dog can play with this toy on their own, it can reduce both of your frustration levels and help you both bond more closely. For example, your dog can come and lay by you when they wear themselves out, and you can enjoy their company simply by being by them.
• Energy Reduction - No matter how old or young your dog is, they can have higher levels of energy that can lead to problems if you don't wear your dog out. The Tether Tug comes with 360-degree swivel opportunities that can encourage your dog to play and get rid of a lot of their excess energy.

Common Questions About the Tether Tug

There are several questions that come with the Tether Tug, and we wanted to round them all up in one place to give you the comprehensive answers you need. They include:

1. What is the Tether Tug made of?

The website doesn't have a concrete list of what the Tether Tug comes made out of. The Tether Tug's pole comes made out of a flexible and durable fiberglass, the rope is a cotton and nylon blend, and the ball comes made out of some type of plastic material with a fuzzy coating.

2. How do you install the Tether Tug?

The Tether Tug is relatively easy to install, depending on how soft the ground is around your home. The Tether Tug comes mostly assembled with the hanging part of the toy and two pieces of the metal pole with a weighted base.

You drive the base into the ground until there is around one inch of steel pole sticking out of the ground. Next, you slide the second part of the toy into the base until it snaps into place. That's it! Now you're ready to get your dog interested in it.

3. What's the difference between the indoor and outdoor Tether Tug?

The biggest difference between the two models is that the outdoor model has a weighted steel base that you actually drive into the ground while the indoor model slides into a stand that sits on your floor. The indoor model is also much smaller and much more lightweight than the outdoor model.

Pros and Cons of the Tether Tug

The Tether Tug comes in several pros and cons associated with it. Knowing these things before you buy it can help you decide if this is a good choice for your dog or not. They include:

Pros

• It's easy to set up because all you have to do is drive the base of the pole into the ground, attach the main body, and clip the toy on the end.
• The durable and flexible design gives your dog hours of fun pulling and tugging at the toy without breaking it.
• The interactive angle of this toy lets your dog play for hours on their own. It'll move and sway each time they tug on it.
• It allows your dog to burn off a lot of their excess energy simply by playing with it and interacting with it.
• You get the choice of several different tug toys to change it up and keep your dog entertained and happy.

Cons

• For larger dogs, you have to have a yard to be able to drive the base into the ground.
• The rope part of the toy is mostly a cotton material that is prone to shredding and tearing.
• The indoor model may not be stable enough to withstand rough play.

What Actual Customers Think About the Tether Tug

People have a lot to say about the Tether Tug toy for dogs. The good news is that many of them say that the Tether Tug is a very engaging toy that can keep your dog up and moving for hours at a time due to the toy's unpredictable movements.

They said that the different sizes are nice for their dogs because it comes with different durability levels and lengths. Larger dogs will benefit from the bigger toys, longer reach, and a more durable design that helps prevent the toy from breaking with more aggressive play.

Dog parents did point out that you do have to pay attention to your dog because the nylon and cotton rope tends to fray, and your dog could accidentally swallow a piece. They also said that the indoor models aren't very stable, especially if you have a slightly larger indoor dog.

They also said that the toy may not anchor into the ground as securely as it needs to, and this makes it possible for your dog to pull the entire setup out of the base and drag it around. However, it's relatively easy to snap back into the base and let your dog continue to play with it.

Bottom Line

The Tether Tug is a durable and versatile toy that comes in several sizes to suit different dog breeds. It's a good choice to help your dog burn off some excess energy, slim down to a healthy weight, and keep them stimulated on a mental and physical level.