# Drop it command!!



## Dog (Sep 26, 2006)

Amber finally got it after just 3 days!!!

It wasn't easy but I thought we were as much to blame for her behaviour lately (biting my husband = food agreesion - even after we hand fed/touched her etc..) but also the bad behaviour during walks = she is like a vacuum clearner...)

She loves food, any food but knowing what she likes helped me a lot so I topped that up. I made fresh croutons from fresh bread (the smell absolutely got to her). Then I started throwing bowls/toys around (it didn't work at first until I grabbed the croutons). I trained every lunch time for 20mns and night time for 3 days. 

Amber now drops anything we ask her to - her favourite toy when she comes out of the crate, rubbish on the street, tennis balls (new/old)... 

I cannot express how proud and happy we are.... Now we can throw a ball all the way to the back garden and Amber will go and get it, come back and only DROP it when we say so... I would never have believe it if I didn't see it myself.


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## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

Congratulations!!!! That is a big step! to this day I feel proud of Lucky when he follows the "drop it" command .


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## LaurJen (Aug 10, 2006)

That's fabulous! Augie needs more work on that one. He's pretty good about dropping things, unless it is extra-special, like paper products or socks. Those he tries to wolf down as fast as possible!


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## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

LaurJen said:


> That's fabulous! Augie needs more work on that one. He's pretty good about dropping things, unless it is extra-special, like paper products or socks. Those he tries to wolf down as fast as possible!


Concerning Lucky, the drop it command does not work for dead things, cat poop and certain rocks.


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## ontariogolden (Oct 24, 2006)

Just out of interest because this is one of the gray areas for me...

how do you go about teaching the drop it command? Do you physically remove the ball or whatever it is while saying "drop it"?


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## LaurJen (Aug 10, 2006)

Lucky's mom said:


> Concerning Lucky, the drop it command does not work for dead things, cat poop and certain rocks.



LMAO! "Certain rocks" made me laugh out loud!


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## LaurJen (Aug 10, 2006)

ontariogolden said:


> Just out of interest because this is one of the gray areas for me...
> 
> how do you go about teaching the drop it command? Do you physically remove the ball or whatever it is while saying "drop it"?


That's how I did it. You could also offer a treat to swap for whatever they have.


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## Baileysmom (Aug 5, 2006)

What is it about Goldens and socks? Bailey is good about dropping some things, but he LOVES socks. He will dive into the dirty or clean clothes basket and come up with a sock.


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## Gldiebr (Oct 10, 2006)

Baileysmom said:


> What is it about Goldens and socks? Bailey is good about dropping some things, but he LOVES socks. He will dive into the dirty or clean clothes basket and come up with a sock.


Our Bailey hamper dives too, coming up with either a sock or the dryer sheet. I sure hope those aren't bad for them! She's loves to shred them and leave them at my feet. Goofy thing.


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## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

LaurJen said:


> LMAO! "Certain rocks" made me laugh out loud!


Once in a while he will pick up a rock and it might as well be a dead squirrel the way he clamps down. I don't understand it.


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## bbhdl (Jan 16, 2007)

*seems strange but it works for drop it*

Recently at puppy kindergarten the trainer suggested that when your puppy has your slipper or sock or the like, instead of reacting with a drop it or give it etc. you get down and say thank you "Harley", thank you so much thank you (you get it) in a very sweet voice and don't pull it or get excited. Well, I have known and respected this trainer for years and I thought she was kidding. I went home and tried it with my two 13 week old pups and it actually worked. After only a few times of this now when they wander into my bedroom and grab my slipper or sock (which they love) they bring it right to me almost like a prize. She says eventually when they grab something even on a walk that they shouldn't have they will give it right to you. Try it!!


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## Rocky (Dec 28, 2006)

How did you train her exactly? I would like to teach Rocky that trick.

Thanks and Congratultions on the big achievement


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## bbhdl (Jan 16, 2007)

Rocky is adorable. Good luck with him. As far as the drop it goes. When I saw them with a slipper I just went over and put out my hand and kept saying things like thank you so much you brought me my slipper, thank you harley, good boy thank you..... keep repeating positive phrases like that and eventually the lure of the slipper is no longer so attractive that they give it up. When you think about it for puppies the more you say drop it and try to tug or pry the item out of their mouth it makes them tighten their grip. With this they are being praised and they just give it to you. If he knows sit it may be helpful to have him sit while doing this. It shouldn't take more than a few seconds of repeating the "praise" before he drops it and in the beginning you may have to be sneaky and kind of back him into a corner while talking to him (so he dosen't puppy zoom with the item). But eventually he will get it and sometimes now I am down to saying just "thanks" when they bring me things. Albeit it is not everytime yet but it is getting more and more already. P.S. we have only been doing this for about 3 weeks.
Good luck, let me know how you make out.


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## monomer (Apr 21, 2005)

I've always found that where very young dogs are concerned many behaviors are never consistant for long... so I'd be interested to know if little Harley keeps responding in this way next week and the week after, etc. So please post back from time to time... I'd like to know if this method really works or is it simply a first response to this new thing you are doing and eventually he will test out other responses.

With our last dog I taught him release through the 'trading-up method' already described but with Sidney, he was just too intense at times and the trading thing wouldn't always work so... I finally ended up using part of a method that some hunters use to teach the forced retrieve.... that simply involves curling a lip up onto his teeth and applying pressure until he releases. It sounds like a cruel method until you actually do it... anyway the bottomline is Sidney releases on command.


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## Buffy & Abby's Mom (Nov 27, 2005)

I very much need to teach this one to Abby. She is so bad about not giving up things, especially balls when we're playing fetch. But I think it's just that she doesn't understand fetch. She'd much rather sit around and chew on the balls instead of fetch. But this conflicts with Buffy who lives and loves to fetch. Having 2 balls doesn't seem to much help because of course they still both want the same **** ball.

So being that Abby is very food oriented, can I just say "Give" and get her to give me the ball or whatever and substitute a treat and eventually do away with the treats. Is this the correct way?


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## monomer (Apr 21, 2005)

That's the way it worked with Kimo, our last dog. It probably would have eventually worked with Sidney but at 'that certain age' it seems like retrievers can REALLY get into chewing the toy so much, that sometimes there is nothing else in the world considered a trade-UP in their minds. So I admit I resorted to the more physical method of "pressing his lip against his teeth"... it did get the desired result and Sidney's never held a grudge.


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## goldenlovers (Oct 2, 2006)

Aries drops it on command. She also sits, shakes paw and gives hugs.. 

It makes you feel good when they do something you taught them.


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

If your goal is to train both a drop(drop it on the floor) and a give(to hand).
I would suggest training give to hand first and the drop it much later...

The thank you method described usually works well especially if the item is stolen/forbidden- the key is to not grab or tug on the item and to keep your tone kind...it is my peferred method because I want the dog to bring to hand. ..Trading usually will cause the pup to spit it out on the floor. Not a bad thing...just keep your ultimate goals in mind.
I have used the lip pressure and it is effective and if done with a calm demeanor and with graduated pressure....I try to follow a lip pressure with another command that the dog knows well so I can ignore the release but praise the second command....

JMHO, but NEVER scold a retriever for bringing something to you...even if they stole it, chewed it to bits or found it in the catbox...
You dont have to reward the retrieve for a naughty item, but dont scold it. Scolding wont solve the stealing, but it will make them avoid you.


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