Teaching your dog to drop items on command is a great way to establish your position as the leader of the pack. Dogs are natural pack animals, and they will be happier if they respect you as their leader. This is important not just for relationship reasons, but also for safety reasons. Your dog might pick up something dangerous it shouldn’t ingest, or you might need it to drop something for some other reason. Also teaching this command can be fun!
Why is it important to teach your dog to drop items?
There are several reasons why you should teach your dog this skill. These include:
- It can help prevent choking or swallowing items that cause obstruction in the esophagus or intestines
- It prevents damage to property
- It helps prevent fights among dogs who want the same toy
- If your dog has something that is not safe for him to chew, he may eat some of it. You can use the drop command to get him to release the item so that you can take it away from him before he eats any more of it. Not only will this save him from choking on something or from swallowing something that could cause an intestinal blockage, but it will also save you a trip to the emergency vet clinic.
How to start teaching your dog to drop items
To start, put the item you want your dog to drop on the floor in front of him. As soon as he takes it up (or even before), say the phrase “drop it.”
While his mouth is full and he’s trying to figure out what you’re asking, exchange the item for a treat. If he doesn’t spit it out, keep holding his mouth closed until he opens it. The goal is to reward him when his mouth is open and he’s not chewing on anything besides a tasty treat or snack.
Once your dog has swallowed whatever treat was in his mouth, give him several more as praise. In other words, don’t ask him to drop something else right away, lest you overwhelm or frustrate him by changing tasks too quickly.
Repeat this exercise several times over a week or two (or longer) until your furry friend has learned what “drop it” means. Remember: patience and consistency are key!
How do you introduce the items for training?
In order to practice, you’ll need to introduce your dog to some items. Start with toys, as they’re small and easy for the dog both to pick up and drop. If your dog is already used to playing fetch with a toy, then you can simply point out the toy and say “drop it” when they pick it up. Otherwise, try holding the toy in front of them while saying “drop it,” then let them play with it. When they’re holding onto the toy, say “drop it,” and praise them when they do so. You can also hold a treat in front of them and see if that encourages them to drop what’s in their mouth—they may be more motivated by food than by toys at this point.
After introducing one item for Surrey dog training, move on to another item (a different toy or maybe something else like a dog chew). Make sure that there are no other items around in case your dog becomes distracted from what you want them to focus on—you don’t want any confusion about which item the command is referring to!
More tips for a successful training
Once your dog has proven his prowess, it’s easy to let the praise and treats flow. The key, however, is to not overdo it; you don’t want your pup to start dropping items because he’s expecting a tasty treat every time.
Keep your tone and body language the same as when he first learned the trick. If you find yourself having to go through any of the steps again or if you notice any regression in performance, do some repetitions until there is an improvement. It’s also important to use different items for training so that your dog learns the lesson rather than simply learning which item earns a treat.
Conclusion
Overall, the treat method works best for training a dog to drop things. Because as we all know, there is no better motivator than food! In an ideal world, treats would be unnecessary, but that’s just not reality. Just be sure to keep your dog on a healthy diet and give them treats in moderation.
