Difficulty: Moderate Prerequisite: Learn Names, Take It, Bring It Items Needed: Clicker, Treats
This trick is a combination of Take it, Bring it, and Give (See Tug). When you tell your dog to get your slippers, he will take them, bring them, and drop them right in your hand. What if you lost your slippers? Wouldn't this be a helpful trick! Just tell your dog "Get my slippers!" and off he'd go. In no time he would come back with the pink slippers and drop them by your feet. Some dogs can bring both slippers at the same time. But if you're having difficulty getting your dog to bring both slippers, keep your slippers together with a piece of velcro or string. You don't have to keep them together, however. Your dog will do just as fine getting them one at a time. (This is especially useful if you forgot where you left them!).
Step 1: Using the "Learn Names" trick, teach your dog the name of whichever object you want him to bring you (Slippers, for example). Step 2: Now that he knows what the name of the object is, tell him to "Take my Slippers." Click and treat. Step 3: Tell your dog to Take it and Bring it. If he does so, click and treat. Step 4: Now, try combining all three tricks. First, say, "Get my Slippers!" Then, "Take it, Bring it, and Drop it." If he does what you ask, click and give him a generous treat. Repeat this until you have a polished trick.
OUR EXPERIENCE
This was one of our favorite tricks to teach Caspian, and one of his favorites too. He does really well at learning names of things—he knows his toys by each of their names for example. So we introduced the slippers in the same kind of way. Because he was really excited about this trick, the slippers themselves were the reward. We realized, however, that he thought of the slippers as a toy, and would get preoccupied and play with them when we asked him to retrieve them for us. He would eventually bring them, but he would want to play with them first. To fix this problem, we clicked/treated only when he brought them back faster. We then conditioned him to bring them right back as soon as we asked for them.
TEACHING TROUBLE
My dog can do each of the initial tricks (take it, bring it, give), but is having trouble blending them all together. What do I do? Repetition is the key to this trick. As you practice it more, it will flow together better and you won't have to use each command to get him to do what you want him to do. Eventually, you will have him learn that the command "Get my Slippers" means to take the slippers, bring them, and drop them into your hands (or at your feet!)
Tip: "When shaping this trick, have your dog take the top part, or toe of the slippers each time so that they're not soggy when you put them on!"
