# Teaching drop it



## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

On a leash Kenzie is solid with leave it and drop it.
Off the leash, it becomes a game.
Tonight I am reheating some chili that I made and had a Baggie full of green onions on the counter. Of course, I notice Kenzie run past me with something in her mouth. Yep, the Baggie full of onions. 
I know enough to not chase her so I went to the cupboard and pulled out her favorite treats and called Guinness over to get some. Of course she drops the Baggie and runs to me wanting a treat also. Luckily no onions were consumed!

That is how I've been handling getting things away from her. For the most part I keep the house dog proofed but there are the times I leave a shoe out or she'll grab the remote control. She seems to want to use it as a game (everything is better when someone wants it). I've been completely ignoring her but making a big deal about getting treats out for my other dog, so I have been using treats to get stuff back but she will drop the item wherever she is when I open the treats so she never actually brings it to me to trade for a treat. And she certainly isn't dropping it on command!
Any ideas on strengthening/training the drop it command


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## Brave (Oct 26, 2012)

Start with toys. If you can get her to drop a toy, you can slowly move up to high-value items like a baggie of green onions. We reinforce drop it w/ hours of fetch a day. 

You can also teach a solid "leave it" to prevent the green onion baggie situation.  

If she's run off with something, try asking for a "come" or "here" instead of drop it, then reward the come. When she goes to take the treat, she'll drop the item and problem solved.

When we play fetch, I like to ask him to "bring it" when he runs off with the toy, and then i treat for him bringing me the item.  

Hope this helps.


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## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

She actually has an okay leave it, if I catch her when she's thinking about it! Once she's committed than her leave it is about as good as her drop it!
She has a really good come command for most situations but again, when she has something she's not supposed to she would love nothing more than a game of keep away. That's why I ignore her and go for treats. The few times I have tried to get her to drop it or give it to me she stays about 3feet from me at all times!
Her fetch, ironically, is quite good. Maybe because she knows I throw it again for her?


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## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

Oops, forgot to add, my back was turned when she grabbed the Baggie or I probably could have stopped it!


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## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

I can try setting her up with treats on me, than I can give the command for the trade. Now she's reacting to the treats being opened on the other side of the room!


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## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

Okay here is an example of my pathetic drop it attempt. It shows how she will stay just out of my reach. She has a cat brush-not a big deal! I have a bag of treats on my hip





As soon as I turned off the camera, I let Guinness in and had him sit for the treat. She immediately dropped the brush and came over.

She does have a good come in many situations. If she is in the back yard barking at the neighbor dogs I can open the door and yell "Kenzie come" and she will immediately turn and run to me

Incase the video didn't work


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## Cody'sMom (Nov 7, 2010)

Oh yes, what a fun keep away game with the bag of onions and cat brush! I would start with her toys too. Calmly trade the toy for a treat. To teach her to give up anything she has at anytime for the rest of her life, start with briefly taking the toy she's playing with away from her then immediately giving it back to her.

I did this with Cody and to train to be able to do this, I start walking towards him saying "how ya doin' with that?" to announce I'm coming. You don't want to startle when they can be so involved with the item. Then I say "Let Mom see" and reach my hand in slowly but assertively to take it while giving a cookie with the other hand. I pick the toy/bone up to my face and pretend to inspect it. Then I hand it right back and say "What a good job you are doing!" and walk away.

It helps if the dog knows the toy/bone isn't going to be taken away permanently every time. Over time I have been able to eliminate the cookie to trade.

Also, when he looks like he is about through with the toy/bone I say, "BRING". I stand in the laundry room and Cody brings it to me, I put it up on the dryer in his toy box and I give him a cookie.

After 9 years, I still do this about once a week just to practice and remind him of manners. So if he gets something he's not suppose to have, then it's no big deal to BRING and trade for a cookie because you use the same calm voice every time.

Kenzie is super cute in the video. I hope this helps. 
Connie and Cody


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

I taught Castle to "Leave It" by waiting until he came over to me with a toy in his mouth. I would take hold of the toy and say "Leave", at first he would loosen and the clamp back down on it, but as soon as he let go, I told him "Yes! Good Leave It" and the immediately handed the toy back. It only took him a couple of tries to figure out what I wanted from him and he was able to transfer that over to whatever he has in his mouth. Sometimes I give it back and sometimes I don't (if it's something I don't want him to have, or something that needs to stay outside when he comes in), but every time he listens to the command, I praise him A LOT!


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