Any ideas on how to train dog to pickup toys?

[HerculesMomma]

I would like to teach Hercules to pick up his balls and put them in his toy box. I'm getting awfully tired of having to do this in the house when I want to vacume etc. Same will be true with outside when the lawn service is due to come.

In the house he will go pick toys out of his box, but I've never taught him "toy box". He does know "go get your ball". How do I make that leap to get him to pick up his toys on command - if that is at all possible?

[Rott-Wiley]

Sure do, the command is "Pickup House" and all the toys get gathered and put into her toy box. In the beginning, I would take the dog outside while my wife would place toys around. I'd come in with the dog and go to first toy and toss it about 2 or 3 feet, encouraging her to pick it up. When she did I'd lead her with the toy to the box and encourage her to drop the toy in the box. Immediately on to the next toy with lots of encouragement -- you got to get her attention off that toy they just had and on to get the next one. Treats and lots and lots of verbal encouragement are handy. Eventually cut back on the treats until all the toys are picked up. BTW, this is a great trick to do when people come over the house -- it's a riot!

[dani542]

I have never seen anything like that. Hopefully I can teach The Dizel Man to do that someday.

[HerculesMomma]

Originally Posted by Rott-Wiley

Sure do, the command is "Pickup House" and all the toys get gathered and put into her toy box. In the beginning, I would take the dog outside while my wife would place toys around. I'd come in with the dog and go to first toy and toss it about 2 or 3 feet, encouraging her to pick it up. When she did I'd lead her with the toy to the box and encourage her to drop the toy in the box. Immediately on to the next toy with lots of encouragement -- you got to get her attention off that toy they just had and on to get the next one. Treats and lots and lots of verbal encouragement are handy. Eventually cut back on the treats until all the toys are picked up. BTW, this is a great trick to do when people come over the house -- it's a riot!

Okay, thanks Rott-Wiley! We'll start working on it this week. Hercules is highly treat motivated so I think it might work with him. We're starting another basic class again this week and I think maybe the two of us will be bored practicing the same ole thing so this will be something new to work on I can only imagine peoples amazement when your dog performed this activity on command! I hope you don't mind if I come back with some questions after we've been at it for a while.

[Brooke&Ryan]

Julius will do this also & we use the phrase "clean up." We taught it basically the same way that RW did.

Comes in handy sometimes. I'll do it in the morning when I'm laying in bed. I'll just yell, "Clean up" & you can hear his bones thumping into the toy basket.


Brooke

[HerculesMomma]

Originally Posted by Brooke&Ryan

Julius will do this also & we use the phrase "clean up." We taught it basically the same way that RW did.

Comes in handy sometimes. I'll do it in the morning when I'm laying in bed. I'll just yell, "Clean up" & you can hear his bones thumping into the toy basket.


Brooke

Ah, the joys of a well trained, smart dog!! I can't wait to give it a try. I have to vacume at least every other day and I'm tired of picking up all of his balls. Not to mention the tripping hazard it is when company comes by

I'm glad to know I have another person to ask questions of if we get stumped during this process

[Squeaky2004]

Originally Posted by HerculesMomma

can't wait to give it a try. I have to vacume at least every other day and I'm tired of picking up all of his balls. Not to mention the tripping hazard it is when company comes by

Just to add to the things yah gotta pick up.......bones, your clothes, fluff from the chair, fur from the cat (maybe even the cat) LOL j/k basically looks like a miniature tornado ran through here everyday. I clean first thing in the morning, maybe i will have to make up a schedule that includes morning afternoon and night lol.