Teaching your dog to 'drop'.

Any of you mastered this yet ? I play catch with Monty and his teddy, he loves going to fetch it. But he insists on 'tug of war' instead of dropping. I've tried learning him with a treat, but it works, only when he sees a treat in my hand he will drop, even without me telling him to drop, obviously because nothing else matters around him, he just wants the treat, so it doesn't really work !

Any ideas ?

When we want Rocky to drop anything we use a firm NO this does usually work. Also a firm leave or leave it works.

Thanks Kathy, he's bringing it to me without even throwing it for him to fetch now, as he wants a treat lol

I'm currently teaching my new rescue staffy x to do this. I use take it and leave it for her. For treats and toys. I lay her down on the floor and put a treat right infront of her and say leave it. If she tries to take it I just cover it so she can't eat it until she leaves it. Once she leave it properly tell her to take it. With toys every time she drops it of her own accord say leave it and the same for picking up.

I would get a second toy so when he bring back that one. Tell her to drop it and she have the other toy as a reward when she does.

My other dog does try to get in a tug of war with her toy when we want to throw it. What we do is tell her to leave it. But don't try to pull the toy away from her when we want it. If she trys to pull we just move the toy towards her, so she can't get into a tug of war, she soon gets bored and lets go.

Good advice Maggie1

great advice im gonna try that, as river is the same. she wont leave it. she now brings toys back but wants to play tug of war lol. so will try this thank you.. amazing what you can find out when your not looking lol.

Maggie1 wrote:I'm currently teaching my new rescue staffy x to do this. I use take it and leave it for her. For treats and toys. I lay her down on the floor and put a treat right infront of her and say leave it. If she tries to take it I just cover it so she can't eat it until she leaves it. Once she leave it properly tell her to take it. With toys every time she drops it of her own accord say leave it and the same for picking up.

I would get a second toy so when he bring back that one. Tell her to drop it and she have the other toy as a reward when she does.

My other dog does try to get in a tug of war with her toy when we want to throw it. What we do is tell her to leave it. But don't try to pull the toy away from her when we want it. If she trys to pull we just move the toy towards her, so she can't get into a tug of war, she soon gets bored and lets go.

Thanks, I'll give that a go

Mastered it beautifully with Junior.
Look at Schutzhund training, they teach the "out" command. All you need to do is edit to suit your needs.