How To Train a Golden Retriever To Drop It

The object in your dog’s mouth may be a toy, but it may also be a choking or poisoning hazard. A simple “drop it” command will prevent your dog from swallowing the object.

Another scenario when the command “drop it” is important is when your dog grabs something it can damage, be it your child’s favorite doll or your new blouse.

Fortunately, “drop it” is among the easiest commands to teach a golden retriever if you are consistent and don’t make mistakes.

When To Begin The Training?

When to start golden retriever training is a common question among novel dog owners.

As a rule of thumb, the best age to start golden retriever training is about eight weeks old, when the puppy’s personality hasn’t yet formed, but its attention span is already sufficient.

You may attempt to train a younger golden retriever, but you will soon notice your efforts have no result. Young puppies get distracted too quickly and already have so many new things to learn – how to go potty, for example.

Don’t teach your golden retriever puppy too many commands at once. You wouldn’t learn five languages simultaneously, right? Give your puppy time to process new knowledge.

“Drop it” is an important command, but you should first teach your puppy to come when called, sit, and stay.

In contrast, a dog is never too old for training. However, teaching an old dog new commands may be challenging because it has already developed its unique habits. You need to be patient if you got an adult rescue golden retriever.

Set Your Dog Up For Success

Some dog owners unintentionally set their pets for failure by attempting to train them when they’re full of energy. Your dog is unlikely to obey your commands when it wants to run around and play.

At the other end of the spectrum, training a dog when it’s about to fall asleep won’t be effective either. Think of how well you memorize new information when you’re sleepy – your dog is no different.

Another thing hindering the training’s success is the incorrectly chosen environment. Puppies get distracted easily, and you can do nothing with this trait.

But you can help your puppy learn commands by choosing an environment with minimum distractions. Ideally, train it in your backyard or at home.

To encourage your dog to obey your commands to get a treat, don’t train it right after it has eaten. When your dog is moderately hungry, it is more food-motivated.

Get Your Dog To Drop Something

Training a golden retriever to drop something is straightforward, but you first need to get your puppy to take something to drop. The easiest way to do so is by playing tug or giving it a chew toy.

Don’t perceive the training too formally, at least at the early stages. Simply play with your golden retriever as usual. Then, get your puppy to drop the toy.

You can either trade the tug rope or chew toy for a different toy, hold the toy still in your hand until your dog leaves it, or offer your pet a treat.

Put the substitute in front of your puppy, ensuring it sees the toy or treats. Using a treat is the most effective method because it instantly makes the puppy want to drop the toy it’s holding.

You don’t yet need to incorporate the command “drop it” into your training. When your dog drops the toy, mark the action with a clicker or a word “yes” (“good boy,” “well done,” or any other phrase will do), and reward your pet.

This way, your dog will learn that opening its mouth and dropping something gets it the desired treats and praise. After your dog has dropped the toy and received its reward, invite it to resume the game.

You don’t want to teach your dog that whenever it drops something, the fun stops.

Otherwise, your puppy will be hesitant to drop anything in the future. Repeat the command several times and let the game finish naturally when your dog is tired.

After some time, you can start practicing the command with other objects. You can ditch the reward when your golden retriever obeys you every time.

The Pressure Method

Some canine behavioral specialists recommend using the pressure method of training a golden retriever to drop it. For this method, you’ll need three toys – one your puppy really loves, one it cares about less, and the last one it barely touches.

Show all the toys to your dog, then make it take the least attractive toy and praise it. Next, tell your dog to “drop it” and gently cup your hand around your puppy’s mouth.

Apply pressure to the area at the back of your puppy’s mouth with your fingers, forcing it to open. Note that you aren’t trying to open your dog’s mouth yourself but rather make it uncomfortable for your dog to keep its mouth closed.

When your dog opens its mouth, cover the toy with your foot to prevent it from grabbing it again and reward your pup. Then, repeat the process with the toy your puppy likes a little better.

When training your puppy with its favorite toy, don’t apply pressure but trade it for a treat.

The pressure method is only suitable for golden retrievers that have never shown signs of aggression because it’s more confrontational than the trading method.

Teach Your Dog the Word “Drop”

When your puppy has learned to consistently drop its toy when you present a substitute toy or a treat, you can move on to the next stage of training – teaching your puppy a verbal cue.

Your final goal is to teach your dog to drop whatever by command, not when you bribe it. Whenever your dog drops its toy, say “drop it” loudly, then present your pet a treat.

Saying “drop it” before rewarding your dog is crucial to helping your pet draw the connections between the act, command, and reward. Otherwise, your dog may have difficulty understanding what “drop it” means.

A clicker can be of great help in speeding up verbal cue memorization. Clickers are tiny devices with a button that makes a distinct clicking sound when pressed. You can find clickers in any pet store or online.

The success of golden retriever clicker training largely depends on timing and consistency. Click the clicker the same moment you say “drop it” or when giving the reward.

Be Consistent

The key to golden retriever training success is consistency. Training a golden retriever to drop it requires discipline from the owner. Ensure that you always use the same reward accompanied by the same verbal cue.

If you sometimes say, “drop it,” and sometimes don’t say anything, your dog will have difficulty memorizing the cue. If you’ve found a reward that motivates your dog every time, don’t experiment with it.

Consistency also refers to the timing, setting, and method. Don’t move on to the next training stage until your dog shows results on the current.

Mistakes in Golden Retriever Training

Before you start teaching your golden retriever a new command, learn about mistakes in training a dog to drop it. The most common mistake is saying “drop it” too early.

If you tell your dog to drop it and it doesn’t obey the command, it may learn that dropping it is not mandatory. For this reason, you should make your dog drop it, give the verbal cue, and reward it.

Another mistake in golden retriever training is using a toy your puppy goes crazy about. If you attempt to take away a toy your dog refuses to drop, it may become aggressive or mistrust you in the future.

That’s why you should start from the least amusing toy and end by trading the favorite toy for a treat in the pressure method.

Never punish or scold your dog for not dropping the toy. It won’t get you what you want but may lead to your dog despising you and associating the command with negative interactions.

How Long Will The Training Take?

Although “drop it” is among the easiest commands for golden retrievers to learn, how long it will take to train a puppy to drop it depends on many factors.

Some dogs are hesitant to drop items in their mouths, particularly puppies going through the teething phase when their teeth itch. If that’s the case with your dog, expect the training to take a while, about four weeks or more.

In contrast, dogs with a compliant laid-back temperament tend to learn commands quickly, sometimes as fast as one week.

How soon your dog will show results also depends on its age – older dogs take longer to train. Lastly, the training speed depends on you. If you are consistent, your dog will learn commands quickly, but if you aren’t, it may never learn.

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