Training: "Put your toys away"

[jtsummie]

I've seen alot of cool videos where people trained their dogs to "put toys away" (in a basket or something). Where do you start with this trick? Do you start by associating names with toys? ie rope, bones, and balls? or do you start with pick up?

Thanks we have the part down where she takes everything out but we are wanting to work on the other half.

[fickla]

My dogs do not know the names of many objects but can still "clean up" most anything.

Basically there are 2 ways that I know of to teach this. Start with something the dog doesn't mind putting in his mouth and a low box or basket. I started with crumpled paper and a box but some dogs find it easier to start with their toys.

Option #1 is purely shaping it. Click for your dog touching the paper, then mouthing it, picking it up, etc. If you wish you can help your dog out by then moving the small box right beneath your dog's mouth as you click. So you're still clicking the pick up but the paper falls in the box. Then you can click when it falls in the box.

Option 2 is if your dog already knows a retrieve you can throw it, click when your dog brings it back to you, but have the box in your lap. Move your hand out of the way so the object falls in the box.

With either way, once your dog is consistently putting an object in a box in front of you, you will need to work on removing your self from the pictures. Slowly move farther away and stop pointing to or throwing the object. Of course then you will be ready to add in multiple objects for your dog to clean up.

[jtsummie]

Thanks Mya loves to retrieve we'll try having the basket in our lap! Thanks

[snooks]

I trained the easter egg challenge similarly. Started with the dogs trading chicken for toys, then for the eggs and putting them IN my hand for a treat. Then held my hand in the basket, then worked up to moving my hand and pointing or cueing basket. All done with clicker and chicken..

egghunt movie

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They do the same for the toy basket in the closet now. YAY!