teach the dog to drop objects

Author: Peter Berry
Date Of Creation: 11 February 2021
Update Date: 12 November 2024
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The BIG Mistake People Make When Teaching A Dog To Drop Something
Video: The BIG Mistake People Make When Teaching A Dog To Drop Something

Content

teach the dog to drop objects is a very useful exercise for training dogs, playing with them and avoiding resource protection. During this exercise, in addition to teaching your dog to let go of things, you will be teaching him to play tug of war or the ball depending on the rules.

Most trainers who compete in canine sports take advantage of the game to train their dogs. This is because food is an excellent reinforcer for training new behaviors, but it usually doesn't provide the intense motivation that games provide.

In this article by PeritoAnimal we will explain how to teach the dog to let go of objects and things of any kind such as toys and balls. Keep reading and follow our tips!


before starting

The instinctive behaviors associated with hunting are the ones most used in training because they can be channeled relatively easily. Among these behaviors, the most used are those that lead to capture. Tug of war games provide a simple way to simulate these predatory behaviors and are therefore very useful to give you more intensity and speed to the dogs' responses.

Another advantage of using games during dressage is that food is no longer the only positive reinforcement possible. In this way, the variety of behavioral reinforcements available is increased and reinforcements capable of competing with some environmental distractions can be obtained. It will also depend on the dog being attracted to one type of game or another. Retrievers, for example, tend to be more motivated by catching games like throwing the ball than with tug-of-war games.


In this article you will learn how to teach your dog to drop a toy which he is playing with in the tug of war, so he will teach the order "Let go" while playing with his dog. However, before starting you should take into account some rules so that the game is useful and safe.

Rules for teaching the "Loosen" order

  • Never take the toy by force: Especially if your puppy hasn't learned yet, growls or doesn't seem to want to give it away, you should never force the ball out of your mouth. First of all because it can hurt your teeth or it can hurt you. Second, your puppy will think you want to take the toy away and it will be more difficult to educate him.
  • don't hide the toy: Your puppy should always have the toy in sight because the game is not about who gets the toy, but about having fun. Your puppy should not have the feeling that he should protect his toy, but that he should share it to have a good time. This is where the first signs of resource protection appear.
  • Your puppy should not bite your hands or clothes: If your puppy fails and touches you with his teeth, he must stop the game and change his environment or situation for a while. It's a way of teaching him that in the face of this behavior we will not continue to play with him.
  • Choose a game location: Playing with a ball indoors can be a little risky for your furniture and decor. It is recommended to determine a place where your puppy can play peacefully. In this way, it creates a state of deprivation that increases the motivation for the game. It can be said that this way the dog becomes "hungry".

How to teach the dog to drop objects

In order for your dog to release the object he has in his mouth, he will need a little more than indications and caresses. One tasty prize like dog snacks, chunks of ham or a little feed can be your best allies. You must choose the prize according to what your dog likes the most.


Follow this step by step:

  1. Offer your puppy the ball and let him play with it.
  2. Get his attention and say "Let go" while giving him a piece of food.
  3. The dog's natural instinct will be to eat the food and release the ball.
  4. Pick up the ball and throw it again.
  5. Repeat the procedure of releasing it for 5 or 10 minutes.

This simple step by step will teach your dog to relate correctly the verbal indication "Loosen" with the very act of leaving the ball. Also, by returning the ball to you and continuing the game, the dog will understand that you are not trying to steal it.

The dog already understands the order

Once the dog has learned to drop objects, it is time to continue practicing so that this behavior is not forgotten or starts to develop parallel behaviors. The ideal will be to practice every day obedience between 5 and 10 minutes reviewing all the orders already learned including picking up and dropping objects.

Also, it should start to replace food for congratulations and caresses. Varying the dog's "prize" will allow us to get a good answer whether or not we have food. It will also be helpful to practice the same order in different places.

Common Problems When Teaching Order

  • if your dog shows signs of aggression, growls or suffers from resource protection (a dog that takes care of his stuff) so we recommend that you consult a professional for advice. At the outset, if you don't try to remove the toy and perform the exercise correctly, nothing has to happen, but you would be risking your dog biting you, either accidentally or intentionally.
  • The most frequent problem with this procedure is that the dogs can be so excited about the game that bite anything that they come across, even though those things are their hands or their clothes. In these cases, avoid reprimanding him. It will be enough to say a simple "No" to him and stop participating in the game for a while. If you don't want to take these small risks, don't do the exercise.
  • If you don't feel comfortable doing this exercise, don't do it. The exercise is complicated for many people who are inexperienced in training, so don't feel bad if you don't do this exercise.
  • Although the idea of ​​the exercise is that the game is very moving, be careful to don't make too sudden movements that can hurt your dog, especially if it's a puppy. It can hurt your dog's neck and back muscles and vertebrae if you move the toy too violently while he bites you.
  • Do not practice this exercise with dogs that have bone or joint problems, such as hip or elbow dysplasia.
  • If your puppy is the molosso type, be careful with intense play. Remember that it is difficult for them to breathe correctly and that they can suffer from a heat stroke if we combine intense exercise and heat.
  • Don't exercise right after the dog has eaten or drank a lot of water. Likewise, wait at least an hour to give him plenty of food or water after the game. You may be able to give him some water to cool off after the game, but don't fill up your entire container at once as you may end up taking in more air than water and this can lead to gastric torsion.