Drop it = swallow it immediately

Fuzz Puppy · 12-03-2006, 05:24 PM

I know that isn't true, but to my hound, Bailey, that's exactly what the command means. He's thought this was true since we got him. He's now two years old and we're currently struggling with this habit. How do you teach "drop it" with no food or toys on a walk? We were walking today and Bailey started eating something and swallowed it. This isn't the first time he did this, just the most recent. Please help us out- I don't want him to eat a dangerous thing.

***Rivsky*** · 12-03-2006, 08:01 PM

Have you tried "leave it" - as soon as he sniffs something say leave it and the second he looks away you need to give him a treat - perhaps you should try taking some treats out on walks with you.

Doing this would mean you have to keep a really close eye on him all the time though.

I find that this works much better than "drop it" with River because he knows he's going to get a treat this way and he doesn't have to debate whether to try for a game of chasey or just drop whatever it is he's got in his mouth!!

Sugardog · 12-03-2006, 09:54 PM

Yeah, I suggest teaching leave it as well. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

The reason he probably swollows it is because he knows your just going to take it away. There's no reward for dropping it.

britishbandit · 12-03-2006, 11:45 PM

Yeah, you have to teach "drop it", and while on a walk is not a good time. Work on it at home, and at least to start with, you should praise and reward when he does drop it. Start with something big that he can't swallow.

Sugardog · 12-04-2006, 12:03 AM

And to add to what britishbandit has said, when teaching "drop it", the reward treat MUST have a higher value than the object or treat your asking him to drop. Otherwise it won't be worth it to your dog to drop what he has.

Fuzz Puppy · 12-04-2006, 06:11 AM

Thank you. Reason I usually don't bring treats on walks is I'm also working with Bailey on sit and stay with no food. He does know leave it, hard to tell if he's just snifiing or he'll eat something, though. I'll make sure the treat is of higher value then what I'm asking Bailey to drop. I'll keep; you guys updated on how he does.

Fuzz Puppy · 12-04-2006, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sugardog

Yeah, I suggest teaching leave it as well. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

The reason he probably swollows it is because he knows your just going to take it away. There's no reward for dropping it.

That's good thinking. I'll try to give him a better reward for him dropping it.

anaconda · 12-08-2006, 04:50 PM

Finn knows "leave it" but he'll also try and eat a kleenex from time to time if he's being naughty. I give him a choice of treat or "No, no, no!! Bad dog!" Lol. It didn't take him long to realize what I wanted.

sammy · 12-08-2006, 08:23 PM

You can teach your dog that "drop it" won't necessarily mean he doesn't get it at all.
Do LOTS of reps of getting him to drop things that he gets a treat and then the item back. ie your dog has a bone or toy in his mouth, you get him to drop it into your hand, you tell him he's good, give him a treat, then give him the bone back telling him "ok get it". You're showing him that he can have his cake and eat it too. Then he has no reason not to drop it. Then for the odd time that he finds something gross that he can't have, it's the exception and not the rule.
If "drop it" always means "I'm going to take that away and not give it back" then is it any wonder a dog would opt to gulp it down instead?

D.Schäferhund · 12-08-2006, 08:28 PM

Hi
In addition to all the good advice allready i would learn and teach him to trade off things, so you can get stuff out of his mouth, in case you missed the leave it,
...nevermind.. just saw sammy has it allready!!!

12-03-2006, 05:24 PM	#1 (permalink)
Fuzz Puppy Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 388 Rep Power: 72	Drop it = swallow it immediately I know that isn't true, but to my hound, Bailey, that's exactly what the command means. He's thought this was true since we got him. He's now two years old and we're currently struggling with this habit. How do you teach "drop it" with no food or toys on a walk? We were walking today and Bailey started eating something and swallowed it. This isn't the first time he did this, just the most recent. Please help us out- I don't want him to eat a dangerous thing.
Fuzz Puppy Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 388 Rep Power: 72	__________________ All dogs are loving. They just show it in different ways.

12-03-2006, 09:54 PM	#3 (permalink)
Sugardog Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 283 Rep Power: 56	Yeah, I suggest teaching leave it as well. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The reason he probably swollows it is because he knows your just going to take it away. There's no reward for dropping it.
Sugardog Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 283 Rep Power: 56

12-03-2006, 11:45 PM	#4 (permalink)
britishbandit Rottweiler Mum Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Windsor, ON Posts: 4,185 Rep Power: 180	Yeah, you have to teach "drop it", and while on a walk is not a good time. Work on it at home, and at least to start with, you should praise and reward when he does drop it. Start with something big that he can't swallow.
	__________________ "No matter how little money and how few possesions you own, having a dog makes you rich." - Louis Sabin

12-04-2006, 12:03 AM	#5 (permalink)
Sugardog Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 283 Rep Power: 56	And to add to what britishbandit has said, when teaching "drop it", the reward treat MUST have a higher value than the object or treat your asking him to drop. Otherwise it won't be worth it to your dog to drop what he has.
Sugardog Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 283 Rep Power: 56

12-04-2006, 06:11 AM	#6 (permalink)
Fuzz Puppy Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 388 Rep Power: 72	Thank you. Reason I usually don't bring treats on walks is I'm also working with Bailey on sit and stay with no food. He does know leave it, hard to tell if he's just snifiing or he'll eat something, though. I'll make sure the treat is of higher value then what I'm asking Bailey to drop. I'll keep; you guys updated on how he does.
Fuzz Puppy Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 388 Rep Power: 72	__________________ All dogs are loving. They just show it in different ways.

12-03-2006, 08:01 PM	#2 (permalink)
*Rivsky* Super Moderator Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: South Australia Posts: 3,869 Blog Entries: 6 Rep Power: 145	Have you tried "leave it" - as soon as he sniffs something say leave it and the second he looks away you need to give him a treat - perhaps you should try taking some treats out on walks with you. Doing this would mean you have to keep a really close eye on him all the time though. I find that this works much better than "drop it" with River because he knows he's going to get a treat this way and he doesn't have to debate whether to try for a game of chasey or just drop whatever it is he's got in his mouth!!

12-08-2006, 04:50 PM	#8 (permalink)
anaconda Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Spain Posts: 410 Rep Power: 69	Finn knows "leave it" but he'll also try and eat a kleenex from time to time if he's being naughty. I give him a choice of treat or "No, no, no!! Bad dog!" Lol. It didn't take him long to realize what I wanted.
	__________________

12-08-2006, 08:23 PM	#9 (permalink)
sammy herding dog lover Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: western canada Posts: 1,089 Rep Power: 115	You can teach your dog that "drop it" won't necessarily mean he doesn't get it at all. Do LOTS of reps of getting him to drop things that he gets a treat and then the item back. ie your dog has a bone or toy in his mouth, you get him to drop it into your hand, you tell him he's good, give him a treat, then give him the bone back telling him "ok get it". You're showing him that he can have his cake and eat it too. Then he has no reason not to drop it. Then for the odd time that he finds something gross that he can't have, it's the exception and not the rule. If "drop it" always means "I'm going to take that away and not give it back" then is it any wonder a dog would opt to gulp it down instead?

12-08-2006, 08:28 PM	#10 (permalink)
D.Schäferhund let's work Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Kansas Posts: 1,821 Blog Entries: 1 Rep Power: 116	Hi In addition to all the good advice allready i would learn and teach him to trade off things, so you can get stuff out of his mouth, in case you missed the leave it, ...nevermind.. just saw sammy has it allready!!!
	__________________ "All Knowledge, the sum of all Questions and answeres, are within the Dog" Franz Kafka

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