How To Get Your Dog To Pick Things Up

It is in your dog’s natural instincts to want to help you out whenever it can. Dogs were bred to be helpful to human beings, One way that can be beneficial to you is to teach your dog to pick things up. Some people train their dogs to pick up toys, bags and keys, but “pick it up” is also a good way to train your dog to fetch or have them pick up toys or food they drop while walking.

Preparing for Training

To train your dog to pick things up, you need to first find a toy or something non-edible that your dog enjoys playing with. Ropes are sometimes a good tool, as are chew toys. Whatever you choose, it should be something that can easily fit into your dog’s mouth.

Make sure you also have treats on hand as they will be necessary for rewarding your dog’s good behavior.

Training Your Dog

The next step is to take the toy and tease your dog with it. Move it in front of your dog’s face – make your dog want to take the toy out of your hands. Sometimes a tiny bit of tug of war is useful, but it may not be necessary.

Once your dog is trying very hard to grab it from you drop it on the ground and say “Grab it.” Your dog will grab for the toy, and as soon as they lift it up, you should shower them with praise and give them a treat. Repeat this process a few times. Once it appears your dog has picked up on the command, try using it without teasing the dog with the item first. Wait until your dog has calmed down, place the item on the ground in front of the dog and say “Grab it.”

If your dog has picked up this trick, try using different items to teach your dog that “Grab it” is meant to pick up the object in focus, not a specific toy.

If You Are Having Difficulties

Occasionally it can be hard for your dog to pick up this trick. If that is the case, than start training over, but rather than dropping the toy in front of them when you are teasing them, try saying “Grab it” and letting your dog take it directly from your hand.

Learning Tricks and Tips for Dog Obedience Training

Training your dog is both useful and fun. If you would like to learn more tips for training your pet, take a look at my free newsletter.