How to Teach Your Dog to Drop Toys Using The ‘Drop Command’.

When your beloved pooch has something in their mouth, like an expensive shoe, food they shouldn’t be eating such as chocolate or even a ball or other toy used when playing fetch, sometimes instinctively you want to run after them and if you do catch them, prise the object out of their mouth. Both these actions are highly problematic.
First, most dogs love to play chase, and even a young, small breed dog can run quite quickly, never mind a 2-year-old German Shepherd or Kelpie that even Usain Bolt couldn’t catch. Secondly, chasing your dog increases the chance they will swallow what they have in their mouth if small enough, so in the case of something toxic, like chocolate, this could make them very sick.
With regards to prising the object out of their mouth, you increase the chance of receiving a nip at best, again your dog may choose to swallow the item and lastly you run the risk of your dog developing ‘resource guarding’ problems, where he/she won’t want to give up the item and could even become aggressive in defending items in the future.

Fortunately, this obedience training article for dogs will teach you how to train your dog to drop what they have in their mouth using the ‘Drop Command‘ by applying positive reinforcement training techniques.

The following list is what we recommend you have handy for this dog training command session:

• Small sized, soft treats that are very tasty
• Clicker
• Collar
• Training Leash, 5-10 Metres (16-32 Foot)
• Small quiet space with no distractions
• Assorted toys to use

If you don’t have, or prefer not to use a ‘clicker’, you can substitute it by using the word ‘Yes’.

Dog training essentials available from Ezydog Australia

Steps to Teaching the ‘Drop Command’

The secret to training your dog to drop items, is to make it all about trading one item for another. To start with you’ll be giving the original item back again. Although, not with something dangerous, this teaches your dog that ‘Drop’ is a double bonus. They get a tasty treat/reward for dropping the object, plus they get to play with the object again. This procedure makes trading very enticing, especially for puppies and food motivated pooches.
Here are the steps for training ‘Drop’ using treats:

1/ Offer your dog a toy. It should be something they have an interest in but not their favourite. You want to make it as easy as possible for them to give it up

2/ Let him/her play with the toy for a few seconds

3/ Place a tasty treat in front of your dog’s nose. If you chose a low value toy and an exciting treat, your dog will be happy to drop the toy in exchange for the food. As soon as your dog drops the toy, ‘mark’ with your ‘clicker’ or say ‘Yes’ and give lots of verbal praise, then give your dog the treat

4/ While your pooch is distracted, munching the treat, pick up the toy and hide it behind your back

5/ Once your dog is finished eating, show the toy again, then repeat the process

6/ When you know your dog will drop the item as soon as you show the treat, you can now add the verbal ‘Drop Command’ by saying simply ‘Drop’

7/ After practicing this for say 5 times, try giving the command without showing the treats. If your dog immediately drops the item, ‘Mark’ the good behaviour by saying ‘Yes’, give lots of praise (Good boy/girl), then provide a jackpot reward by feeding him/her several treats in a row to convince them how much fun this game is.

If your pooch doesn’t drop the item without seeing the treats, try waiting a second between saying ‘Drop’ and showing the treats. Then slowly, increase the time with each repetition, until your dog understands he/she has to drop the toy before they get rewarded

Summary of How To Teach Your Dog The ‘Drop Command’

Consistency, practice and patience are the keys with all dog training. It’s also important not to keep repeating the command. You should aim to say it once to have your four-legged friend drop what they have in their mouth at your feet.

Some dogs that aren’t overly motivated by food treats (rare) will almost certainly take to cooked chicken pieces. However, I would strongly suggest finding a commercial option that works because apart from the expense, chicken is messy and doesn’t last very long out of a sealed container in the fridge. There are many brands and flavours to choose from these days, and many are made with healthy natural ingredients. I would also suggest using and rotating several different types, so your dog doesn’t become a Primadonna, accepting only one, which could become discontinued.

As I mentioned above, using a training leash of between 5-10 metres is ideal to use if your dog is prone to running away with the toy. These leashes are used extensively for ‘track and trace’ dog training disciplines so are readily available.
Most pet shops, which you can find near you, listed on Pet Directory will have these in stock.

Tug-of-war is another great way to teach the ‘Drop Command’. All you have to do is show the toy and start playing. After a few seconds, STOP! Your dog will quickly get bored of playing alone and will just drop the toy. When they do, praise, then reward with another game of tug-of-war.
Once your dog is dropping the toy as soon as you go still, you’re ready to add the verbal command ‘Drop’.

Finally, using this command is perfect for trick training. You can use it to get your dog to put their toys in a toy box, or spot by a wall after playing. Simply take them to the ‘drop-zone’, say ‘Drop’ and reward!

Having trouble, or have a question about getting your dog to drop items when commanded?
Leave a comment for ‘Bear’ below and he’ll be happy to answer it for you, especially if you get his attention by using his name.

We at PetsBook also recommend getting out with your dog and join a training course.
Pet Directory has many local dog training businesses listed near you with experienced and accredited dog trainers ready to help you with dog obedience and dog command training.

For dogs exhibiting signs of ‘resource guarding’, I’d suggest discussing the problem with a pet behaviourist near you, which you’ll also be able to find on PetsBook’s Pet Directory.

» List of Dog Training Commands

Bear

Hi, I’m Bear, the Training Manager at PetsBook. With over 20 years experience using positive reinforcement dog training techniques, I’m proud to have the opportunity to help you develop a stronger bond with your fur baby, by teaching you useful commands with obedience training.