How to Teach Your Dog to Drop Toys Without Ruining the Fun

For many dogs and owners, playtime becomes a game of keep away. While play is one of the best ways to build a connection with your dog, it doesn’t always go as planned. Trainers know that when a dog refuses to return a toy, the dog’s behavior reveals several things. While you might think your dog is being stubborn when play turns into chase, it can actually be a sign to make some changes. Along with working on two helpful cues, “bring” and “drop,” owners can transform playtime by getting to know their dog’s play style.

Why Some Dogs Don’t Fetch

Some breeds are natural retrievers even at a young age. Without much training, many puppies will bring toys directly to people. It’s easy to turn this behavior into a game of fetch if the dog finds it rewarding to chase a toy and return it. Every dog is different, though. Some dogs struggle with the repetitive nature of fetch. It is a bit odd that we throw a toy like it’s a hot potato after our dogs proudly bring it to us, after all.

Instead of immediately throwing the toy your dog brings you every time, you can try playing different games. Invite your dog to play tug, and let your dog win. If you move away with your hands open, your dog will likely want to push the toy back to you so that you’ll play again.

There are many ways to mix things up in fetch. Variety is one way to transform play sessions. Mixing in different games and training exercises can completely change the way you play with your dog. You can hide the toy for your dog to find, play tug, or do a bit of training during playtime.

A game I suggest starting with puppies right away is the "find-it" game. The first step is to teach the puppy how to find their own toys around the home. When the puppy can easily find hidden toys, place their toys next to off-limits items, such as shoes and remotes. Always supervise the puppy during this game. Soon, the puppy learns to ignore off-limit items and search for the correct toy. This game is a great way to teach puppies not to chew on household items. You can train the puppy to bring the toy they find to you so that the play can continue.

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Training Dogs to Return and Drop Toys

While you might think the worst thing you can do during play is chase your dog, that’s not always the case. Many dogs find it very rewarding to be chased during play. The problem is, if you don’t set clear rules, then every game will become a game of keep-away. For your dog to benefit from play, it has to be rewarding. That means learning to play in a way that works for your dog’s play style.

One fun game is to let your dog win the toy during tug and parade around with it. It’s a myth that you should never let a dog win. If you want your dog to choose playing with you over running off with the toy, make it fun. I will even “chase” after the dog so that the dog can parade around and run. The chasing is deliberate and tailored to the individual dog. As soon as I say “bring,” I want the dog to turn around as fast as possible and run to chase me with the toy instead. Keep-away should end when the handler tells the dog to bring the toy in. This exercise is very different from trying to get a toy back from a dog that genuinely doesn’t want to return it.

The game should continue after the dog brings the toy to the handler. I might let the dog run out again, or I might play tug. Sometimes I will trade the toy for a treat or throw a second toy. The trick is, the dog never knows what to expect, but it’s always exciting to bring the toy back.

I train the “bring” skill using Trickovation microskills. These are small movements that turn into trained behaviors. I might toss a treat to the floor, always telling the dog to “search” before I throw food because food on the floor is off-limits, otherwise. When the dog goes out for the food, I will position my hand out for the dog to nose target upon return. After repeating this a few times, the dog will run out and then run straight back to my hand. It’s easy to replace the treat with a toy that the dog learns to bring to my hand.

Sometimes I have the dog take the toy from one hand and place it in the other, instead of picking it up from the floor. It’s essential to tell the dog to “get it” when taking a toy from a person’s hand. I never want dogs taking toys or items from my hands without permission.

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When the dog briskly returns toys every time, I add the cue “bring” to the game. Now, I can switch between games during play. If I let the dog run circles around me with the toy, I can easily request it back at any time. It’s way more fun than repeating the same fetch pattern over and over.

Training drop-it is similar. For dogs that really struggle or have a history of keeping items away, I might train the dog to drop the toy on the floor and then into a basket before the handler’s hand. Sometimes, dogs have a history of things being taken away, and they are very reluctant. I help the dog realize that giving up toys can be rewarding by using a basket as the drop location before a person’s hand. The bonus of this technique is that it becomes a cute trick I call tidy-up, where the dog puts toys in a basket.

What About Formal Retrieving?

Training more formal retrieves, where the dog holds an item such as a dumbbell, is not so different. The dog learns to bring the item back, sit, and hold it until given a cue to let it go. This can be a valuable skill to train for any dog. It challenges the handler to add a bit of precision to retrieving. Variety is still vital with obedience-style retrieving. I wouldn’t want the dog to repeat the same retrieve over and over.

Changing things up is not only essential to prevent boredom, but also to help prevent mistakes. If you repeat the same skill many times in a row, you might accidentally make a mistake without realizing it. One common mistake I see is that the handler begins reaching for a treat as the dog brings the dumbbell back, unintentionally training the dog to look to you for a treat before bringing the item all the way back.

When to Get Professional Help

While these training tips are meant to improve playtime, some dogs are more serious about keeping toys to themselves. If a dog guards toys or tries to eat them, it’s essential to get professional help right away. On the other hand, if your dog doesn’t bring toys back or drops them halfway, you can begin changing your play routine and training new skills to make playtime more rewarding for you and your dog.

How You Can Begin Training Today

If you are not sure where to start, but want to train your dog to return and drop toys, I suggest starting with the “Tidy Up” game. This trick takes the pressure off of having to get your dog all the way to your hand on cue. It’s a great starting point and a fun dog trick, and you can easily turn it into a behavior that requires the dog to retrieve directly to your hand.

Begin with two baskets or bowls that can fit a few toys. Place the baskets about two or three feet apart. Drop a treat in each, one at a time, so your dog begins moving between them. When your dog has the pattern of going from basket to basket, pick one basket up and place a toy in its place. If your dog touches the toy and then goes to the basket, drop the treat back in. Next, encourage your dog to pick up the toy. Soon, your dog should bring the toy toward the basket to earn the treat, then finally drop it in the basket. You can then add some distance so your dog runs out to get the toy and brings it back to the basket.

This trick is a unique way to begin teaching your dog to bring a toy back to you, and it can work well if you make it fun for your dog. Keep sessions short and always break the steps into small parts so your dog can build on them.

Melissa Viera is the owner of MJ's Pet Training Academy in Acushnet.