Monday Mischief-Weasley vs The Tug-A-Jug

Like all proud pet parents I am naturally besotted with my lovely furry companions and I tend to blather on and brag more then a  bit about their many winning qualities.   For example Weasley is undeniably a gorgeous puggie

and full of sweetness and affection.

However, I am afraid there is one virtue he may be lacking.....intelligence.  Now I have never been particularly keen on having a super smart canine, after all a highly intelligent dog is apt to get in lots and lots of trouble. Still I've always foubd my own pets clever.   My reason for feeling somewhat hesitant in regards to Weasley's brain power is due to the tug-a-jug debacle.

A Tug-A-Jug similar to the offender

Now its likely that every reader of this blog is familiar with the tug-a-jug but in case you are not its a jar with flexible stick in it.  When the dog tugs the stick the treats in the jar spill out.  Its a good puzzle for pugs as you need not have a long nose to solve it, its all done with the mouth.  Our late pug Bingo was a whiz at it.  Tubby and Ping just don't seem interested.  Weasley, however, is desperate, and I mean desperate, to get in that tug-a-jug but its just beyond him. 

First he sits beside the tug-a-jug looking cutely dejected and wondering what human silliness it is that has lead me to give him an inaccessible jar filled with food rather then a bowl.  As he gradually realizes that I am not going to open the jar, frenzied panic sets in.  There is food and he can not reach it.

While not visible in this photo Weasley frantically scratched and bit at the side of the jar loudly baying all the while.  The one thing he did not try, pulling on the cord.  I'm not that cruel that I can stand ideally by while a pug starves so I tried demonstrating the technique needed to get the treats.  Weasley was quite pleased to eat them but did not make the connection.  Then I tried putting peanut butter on the stick, Weasley licked it off.  At one point he inadvertently pulled the stick and was rewarded with a burst of treats: Success!!!  Except he made no connection between his action and the flurry of treats.  He never tried the tug again, but returned to squealing and pawing the sides of jar.  Finally, he looked so depressed

I just gave him some treats. 

I have tried the tug-a-jug with Weasley now every day for five days and no success.  Does anyone else have a dog baffled by this puzzle? As a professional special education teacher you would think I had some clever ideas for how to instruct Weasley in this skill but my mind, like Weasley's, is a blank.  Any advice would be appreciated.