Training my dog to let go

My yorkshire terrier called chip is 4 years old, we got him before christmas and he was very aggressive. Over time he has calmed down and he has learnt to respect other people in the family.

He is a very playful dog but he doesnt listen to me when i want him to drop whatever is in his mouth.

If he has a toy in his mouth, i have to pull it out of his mouth to get it back. As soon as i approach him, he backs off or runs around me to avoid me. I want him to drop it when i say so and I dont want him to run off. He drops it when I show him food but thats the only time he does.

How would I train my dog to let go on my command? I understand he isnt a puppy, it may be too late to train him.

thanks for any help

I trained mine to "drop it" by taking what they had in their mouth, and saying "drop it" at the same time. Then I made a huge deal out of it. LOL. Playing Fetch is a good way to train drop it. They have to drop the toy in order for you to throw it again.

This was a great question. We also have a 9 month yorkie who loves to run from you when she gets something in her mouth she's not suppose to. The only way I can get her to drop it is if I show her a treat and we trade. I really would like to stop this behavior now...

Hi Gohan,

Chip sounds like fun! We taught drop it similarly to Purr's directions. Only we used some steak, hot dogs, etc.

Cut up some small bits of the best treats, like hot dogs, steak, cooked bacon, whatever Chip would beg and jump on you to eat.

Try to take his toy and at the same time show him the tasty morsel. Chances are he will release the toy and take the treat. When his mouth opens gush all over him. Praise, silly voices, the works. Then give him the toy and let him chew on it for a minute. Then take it again. End the training session with him keeping the toy or trading to a pressed rawhide if you can.

Creature Teacher may be of better help on when to introduce the words Drop It! I can't remember at what stage we did this. oops!

Chip may also do this if you have two toys, it doesn't have to be for steak everytime. In fact that will get boring. There is a great post in here somewhere on Randomizing Rewards.

Trust me, it will work eventually. Ranger will now release a bunny in his mouth on command. Okay, well, he won't release a dirty paper towel he finds in a garden bed, he starts a game of chase... but he'll release the darn bunny! lol

-Maui

Oh yes, I forgot to add that part: after I took the toy, and said the words Drop It, I praised (the silly voices are the best! LOL) and then gave the toy back.

I had to show the treats in order for TOki to drop his toy to play fetch. Or did you mean you want him to drop it forever. Then I taught him to "Leave it" I started it out with putting a treat on the floor and when his going to eat it I will cover the treat with my hands and say leave it. And then don't give it to him. So that he knows that it's leave it alone. So when he does leave it take another treat from behind your hand and feed it to your dog. Don't feed your dog the treat that's on the floor as a reward or he will get confused. Eventually they will understand Leave it and I find it very useful because Toki bites on slippers or just anything.

This is hard because as soon as I show him food when he has a toy in his mouth, he drops the toy and goes for the food. But once the food is gone, he just sits and waits for more. He completely loses interest with his toys.

I have a few good suggestions here, thanks for your comments, I'll have another good read of this thread tomorrow, now off to bed im tired lol. Thanks again!

its not too late, i trained buster in the first week we got hhim, so i coul pull it away from him and say "drop it"
you could try showing himnfood, and saying drop it, then feeding hima dn giciving his toy back

You could try the exchange thing. Have two balls. When he comes with one get him all excited about the second one so he drops the first. Then send him after the second one and pick up the first...

thanks for the post, I think the exchange thing with 2 toys will work, ill try it, thanks

I've tried about everything and it doesn't really work so far. He will drop his toys, but the sponge/paper he just stole is another story.. And he sometimes growls and gets bity about it too. Dogs...

It took a long time for Ranger to learn "Leave it!" & "Release!". It was an arduous process. When it sunk in, worth it's weight in gold.

Trading a toy for a toy is a fantastic idea! Let us know how it works.

We had to do a large number of "Release!" work with sticks outside. I tried carrying a pressed rawhide in my pocket at all times. This way, I was armed and ready to do a trade.

The best hint we were given was to have him release legal things... toys, etc. and let him have it again right then. So we taught, "Release!", "Leave it!", and "Take it!" at the same time. The idea was to instill you don't walk up and tell your dog to release something, and the item is yours time and time again. They release and they may or may not get the item back. We were taught to do this a lot with the legal items, like his toys, so he would be more likely to release everything with the hopes it will be something he can put his mouth on again. This way chances are less likely he will start a game of chase and blow you off.

Let us know how it goes!!!

Yes, that which Maui suggested is great advice. Let the dog know that all is not lost if he gives you an item. Give it back. Teach retrieve. Make it a game for him to fetch and bring you something, sit and "give." You can give a yummy treat when he does. Lots of praise when he gives. Give it back to him and let him have it for a minute....back and forth several times.

I think it helps too, if the dog is already in "training mode" (a real session) for practice, as well as practicing when he's just hanging out with you. Have the dog go through some basic obedience skills or tricks.....sit/stay, down/stay, come, heal, shake.....whatever. Then while he's sitting, give a toy..."take." Then say, "give." Then tons of praise and a yummy treat. Then give the toy back and let him play with it for a moment or two. Then have him "give." Then do some more obedience stuff. Dogs like a job to do and if you incorporate this new "trick" of give and take with his other "jobs" of sit, stay etc....he will more likely see it as part of his job and not that you're just some mean person taking away his stuff. Then it will become more applicable in regular situations where you have to take something from him.

Good luck.