Teach your dog to drop objects on cue

Does your dog have a tendency to pick up and eat at all sorts of things? Or do you have trouble getting a toy back when you're playing? Here's a simple exercise that will make it fun for your dog to drop objects at your signal. You can use this exercise both when training together and as a way to get your dog to drop inappropriate objects.

How to teach your dog to drop objects

First, we want to teach the dog that the signal "Thank you" (or whatever you choose) means that the dog gets a treat. So say your cue and then deliver a treat at least 10 times.
Then it's time to pick up a toy. Play with your dog for a while and then say "Thank you" and deliver your treat. Your dog will then release the toy to eat the treat. When this works well and your dog releases the toy as soon as it sees the treat, you can wait and see if your dog has listened to the "Thank you" signal and releases the item on its own. Then you can reward it for releasing the object.

To keep in mind

Remember to train using familiar objects to reinforce the "dropping" behaviour for your dog. Once you've practiced this for a while, it's time to take it to your walks or indoors when your dog picks up other objects. Remember to always give a treat when your dog chooses to drop an object to come to you.