Hi, another question for you! And thanks for all the useful tips so far! My 3 month old whippet will chase after a toy when I throw it and bring it all the way back to me each time but she doesn't let go - just keeps it tightly between her teeth. She runs so fast to get it when I throw, grabs it and races back but I have to wrestle it from her mouth to get to throw it again lol. Because of this her grunting pig has now lost its grunt! Any ideas on how to get her to drop? Thanks, Sarah. (remember she's a whippet - not exactly known for their high intelligence! )

You teach the give command! I did this with a clever dog by taking the ball from him and saying the word over and over again. Now he releases anything including food. He lay on my knee while we were learning this so he got loads of cuddles, strokes for being such a good boy.

His brother is still a bit reluctant to release so I substitute for another toy, make him give it by gently pulling up his lip, offer a treat instead etc. I used voice commands lots with this one. Persistence and practise are key, especially if the dog is not super clever!

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Transplanted Geordie
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Ive always swapped a ball or toy for a treat while Im training, obviously with the command drop or give, eventually you can do it without the treat and substitute the treat for praise, I still always tell my two that they are a good boy or girl when they drop the ball, Bella is virtually there now although Im still using treats for her.

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General principal is exchange a higher value item, and often return the given item back, so the dog learns nothing bad happens by allowing people objects. Avoid struggling with the dog or chasing it, as that will become a rewarding game.

This video shows how YouTube - How to teach any dog to FETCH!
kikopup's videos in You Tube are another likely good solid source.

A clip of a fun game, shows "Give!" being reinforced by continuing the exciting game, if it's disobeyed then the game simply pauses YouTube - - Super Tug Game 2 - Used To Play & Train, as it's self rewarding continued fun play is the reward, halting & witholding it negative-punishment.

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For eager & reliable recall, be fun for the dog to come back to! Then often send them off right away to do what they wanted!
DT&B - Glossary of acronyms & jargon terms.
Encouraging good behaviours, whilst consistently avoiding practise of bad alternatives leads to extinction of the bad. So if dog sits 6/10 times it doesn't sit 4/10 times, encouraging with the right rewards (positively-reinforcing) enough for 9/10 times means it now fails to sit only 1/10 times, sit 10/10 means...

Thank you all - brilliant ideas!

there are a number of ways -
* as Rob said, Tug of Peace is one: hold the item, go deadweight [hang yer arm off the dog's jaw,
limp & heavy], reward 'drop' by immediately offering the tuggee to tug again.

only begin to LABEL the action [drop, give, etc] when the dog does it 4 times out of 5, when U go
deadweight; keep using it as a label till they drop it 5 times of 5, as soon as U go limp...
then try it as a cue, meaning "say it to get the action".

labels are during the action /behavior, when they are committed to the act.
cues are used to trigger a behavior, & no cue should be used before it's been a well-used label.

* the 2-item game -
one toy is in yer hand to throw, #2 in a pocket or firmly held between one's feet or behind one's back, etc.
fling #1, dog returns with it - SHOW #2, to get it launched the dog must let-go of #1. make it fast:
the instant s/he lets go, launch #2! make it exciting & fast-paced, the faster they let go, the quicker
they get the alternate toy.


* always STOP fetch before the dog is bored - they should still want more when U quit.
too much repetition causes burn-out.

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*wolves R wolves, dogs R dogs, + primates R us.*
tmp, sept-2007