"Pick up your toys!"

[bittervanityx]

Im not sure if theres a thred like this...buttttt

Well, since we've now upgraded to a new toy box in the living room, I'm getting sick of picking up 10,000 toys at night.

Anyone have any ideas how I would go about teaching my monsters how to clean up on que? They already know "go get toys" so I'm assuming it wouldn't be too much harder to train them to put them away.

Help? Ideas? All appreciated!

Example :rolleyes:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b327/Bittervanityx/HPIM0328.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b327/Bittervanityx/HPIM0329.jpg

[Mcpie]

I'll caution that I have not yet taught my dog how to do this, though I intend to when he gets older. Do your dogs know take, bring and drop or equivalents? I imagine you could start small with a take, walk them over to the box with either a bring or walking with them and then use drop. It may be worthwhile to start backwards-- i.e take with a toy,then "drop" with their heads over the box followed with praise. In this case, start small-- have the toy in your hand, right over the box, have them hold the toy then tell them to drop. If they drop it
outside of the box, tell them to try again :) Then add the cue word/gradually start increasing expectations/the distance.

That is how I would attempt to do it anyway, though as I cautioned and will caution again, I have never taught it :)

Edit-- Amazing looking dogs btw

[bittervanityx]

Oh haha, thanks, those photos do them no justice lol. those are some of the worst photos i've taken! XD

thanks for the advice, but I don't want them to get confused that the must keep the toys in the box. =\

[mantine]

Oh my gosh...bittervanityx your living room looks just like mine!!! :lol-sign: Toys everywhere!

[bittervanityx]

Heh, its an everyday thing.

o.o

[Charliesmommy]

What commands does your dog know? Here's what I did with Charlie:

Take him over to a toy and say "get the ball" or whatever toy it is. If he picks it up, run over to the toy box so that he follows you and give the "drop it" command. Then tons and tons of praise/treats. If he doesn't pick up the toy right away, pick it up and give it to him and continue in the same manner. Once he gets the hang of this game, slowly work in the "toy box" command, replacing the "drop it" command with "toy box".

[Mcpie]

thanks for the advice, but I don't want them to get confused that the must keep the toys in the box. =\

I don't see how this would cause that. At one point in time you're going to need to tell them to drop their toy in the box-- I see no reason why they would begin to assume that the toy has to be in the box, and worst comes to worst, whereby they start taking their toys to the box just for a treat, simply do not reward them unless you use the cue word.

Putting away their toy AND not getting a treat or praise? I think even if that did become a behavior, it would fade quickly ;)