We must face facts, the dogs who share our lives and even our beds are scavengers.It’s in their genes.They love food and most dogs will do a nose dive to get anything that drops on the floor in hopes it’s a tasty morsel.Even if it’s not food, some dogs love to grab objects and run away with them.Of course, our natural human instinct is to run after the dog.But it only takes a few chases for your dog to learn that it’s a fun game and a great way to get your attention.Then the object stealing becomes more about the game than the object. If you have a dog-thief and you discover he has grabbed something he shouldn’t have, the best way to discourage thievery is to ignore the dog.Any attention you give the dog will only serve to reward the behavior and teach your dog that if he steals something, he gets the attention of a chase. The only time to chase your dog is if he has grabbed something that may be dangerous to him.But remember, dogs will be dogs.Prevention is the best - keep dangerous items out of your dog’s reach.
The more desirable the object, like high quality food or a bone, the less probable your dog will be willing to drop it.More than likely, it gets gulped down really, really fast!So then, to teach your dog the ‘drop it’ command, you need to start with something less desirable and work up to more desirable.Pick a time when your dog is playing with a favorite ball or toy.When your dog drops it at your feet to play with him, say the words ‘drop it’ as he releases it.That way, you will teach your dog to associate the words with the action.Follow up with lots of praise! Do this each time your dog brings you the toy and he will soon learn to drop it on his own.
If your dog is the type who never drops the toy and would rather play tug of war with you to get the toy from him, then you may need to resort to the barter system.When your dog brings the toy to you, hold a high quality piece of food to his nose and say ‘drop it’.As he releases the toy, give him the treat and lots of praise.Keep practicing this exercise until your dog releases the toy without bartering.You should be able to eliminate the food eventually. The more reliable your dog drops toys on command for you, the better he will be if he happens to steal an object he shouldn’t have.Practice is the key.Your dog may never drop a piece of food on command but it certainly will make play time more enjoyable!