Drop It
Teaching Give
What it means:
Put what you have in your mouth into my hand, right now.
Verbal command – “Give”
Tone of voice – Firm, no nonsense
Hand signal – Hand out, palm up
Body Language:
Confident, self assured
Enforcing the command:
Have your puppy on leash, sitting or standing next to you. In your right hand have something (treat or toy) that your puppy is interested in. Toss the item out in front of your puppy. As you toss it, give the command “Get it!”.
How far?
In the beginning, don’t send your puppy out farther than 6 feet or so. As soon as your puppy begins to understand, you can begin to increase the distance.
Do’s and Don’ts:
GO OVERBOARD WITH PRAISE, especially in the beginning. This should be FUN. Motivation will be the key to willing compliance. If your puppy seems unsure, let him sniff the treat or get excited about the toy. The item you use MUST be something your puppy wants.
What your puppy learns:
Cooperation in the context of a game. This command can be used as a reward for good obedience, and lays the foundation for retrieving, tricks, and also helps teach your puppy that active obedience can be fun and rewarding. It also helps to instill greater focus on you, the owner, and is a great way to bond with your puppy.
Written by: Shirley Gibson
Note:
You are welcome to share this post but ONLY IF you give credit and a link back to Teach Your Dog To Behave or shirleytwofeathers.com.
Teaching Your Puppy to Drop It
What it means:
Spit that out of your mouth this instant, and never pick it up again.
Verbal command – “Drop It!”
Tone of voice – Sharp, firm, demanding
Hand signal – none
Body Language:
When teaching this command, have your puppy on leash. You can either sit or stand, but try to keep a low profile, you want your puppy to forget you are watching.
Enforcing the command:
As soon as the puppy picks up the item, say the command “Drop It!” in a sharp tone of voice. If your puppy does not spit the item out, or tries to run off with it, repeat the command “Drop It” in a louder, somewhat startling and more demanding tone, and at the same time give the leash a sharp jerk. If the leash correction isn’t sufficient to induce the puppy to drop the item, pull it from the puppy’s mouth, put it back on the floor, and wait to see if the puppy will pick it up again. If he does, repeat the correction, each time with a sharper tone and a stronger pop on the leash.
Do’s and Don’ts:
Do leave the item out where the puppy can see it and has access to it (under your direct supervision only). This will give you plenty of chances to reinforce this command.
Do not put the item out of reach until the puppy has decided not to pick it up again. Do not allow your puppy to run off with and keep the item.
Use this command ONLY with items you never want your puppy to have in his mouth. Do not use this command with toys or items that are sometimes OK to play with.
What your puppy learns:
Self control, and that everything in the world is NOT for the taking. This command also strongly reinforces your position of leadership in the relationship.
Written by: Shirley Gibson
Note:
You are welcome to share this post but ONLY IF you give credit and a link back to Teach Your Dog To Behave or shirleytwofeathers.com.
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