Puppies love to eat or chew whatever they can get their mouths on. We confess that it’s sometimes pretty adorable to see your puppy proudly pick up an object and trot off with their new prize, but it’s not always in your dog’s best interest to stake their claim on the object. Some items can be toxic to dogs and can lead to intestinal blockage or disease transmission if ingested. Not to mention, your puppy may sometimes choose your expensive shoes or your child’s favorite stuffed animal as their new prize.
Teaching your puppy to “drop it” is an important skill that protects both your dog and your property. The good news is that you can easily teach your bestie this command while playing with them!
It’s a myth that games like tug-of-war, keep-away or fetch will make your dog aggressive or cause them to think they’re “dominant;” these games can come in handy for teaching this command. To teach your puppy to drop items, keep some treats in your pocket or a treat pouch while playing. While your dog is tugging on the toy or running around with a toy in their mouth, bring a treat up to your pup’s nose and say, “Drop it.” If your puppy drops the toy, give them the treat and a lot of praise. Make sure to continue to play with them afterward so they don’t associate “drop it” with the end of a play session.
Over time, you can decrease how often you reward the behavior with treats, though we do recommend making sure a treat is sometimes given to keep your puppy on their toes! Always reward your puppy with praise.
Going on walks is a must for most dogs, but this is also a time when the “drop it” command can be important! People sometimes leave trash, chicken bones, cigarette butts and other objects on the ground, which may be dangerous for your pup. Consider practicing this command while on walks before a concerning situation arises. Try giving your puppy their toy to carry and working with them to drop the item when you say, “Drop it.” Consider bringing extra tasty treats on walks as an extra special reward. Make sure you’ve appropriately leash-trained your puppy before training them to use this command on walks.
If your puppy is aggressive about food or treats, we recommend speaking with your VCA care team to ensure you’re training your pup in a safe way.
Make sure you’re using positive reinforcement strategies when training your puppy to “drop it.”
