Difficulty: Moderate Prerequisite: Take It, Bring It Items Needed: Clicker, Treats, Box of Tissues, Waste-basket
This is a great trick to do immediately after Trick #47—Fetch A Drink. After your dog brings you a drink, you can then ask him to bring you a tissue, to wipe down the bottle. After learning this trick, you dog should be able to carefully pull out a single tissue, bring it to you, and then throw it away in the garbage bin. This is an incredible trick on its own, but paired with Fetch A Drink, it makes quite the showstopper.
The First Part: Bring A Tissue
Step 1: Set a tissue box on the ground. Tell your dog to "Take It." He may want to take the whole box - but when he takes one tissue from the box and pulls it out, click and treat. Step 2: Have him continue to do this until he starts pulling them out on his own. Then, have him "Bring it" to you and "Drop it" in your hand. Click and treat. Step 3: Continue to do this until he does all three commands without hesitation. Start saying, "Bring Me a Tissue" when he drops it in your hand.
The Second Part: Throw It Away
Step 1: Get out your waste basket. Give the tissue back to the dog and have him "Bring it" to the waste basket, "Dropping it" in. Click and treat. Step 2: Keep doing this until he takes it, brings it, and drops it without problems or hesitating. Then, use the command "Throw it away" while he is dropping it in. Step 3: Continue to practice this, just saying "Throw it away" instead of the three other commands, until he is able to throw away the tissue at your command.
OUR EXPERIENCE
This trick wasn't difficult for Caspian to learn. First, I showed him the tissue box and touched the tissue. "Take it," I said. He pulled one out. I clicked and treated. I did this again. And again! But the next time I had him "Take it" and "Bring it" to me. When he had brought it to me, I told him to "Drop It" in my hand. When he dropped it, he received a big treat! We did this several times until he knew exactly what to do.
In another session, we worked on throwing the tissue away. I had him bring me a tissue. Then, I "used it" and gave it back to him. Pointing towards the trashcan, I told him to "Drop it." I clicked and treated. The next time he did it, I used the "Throw it away" command. Soon, Caspian was able to bring me a tissue, and then take it back and throw it away in the trash!
TEACHING TROUBLE
He won't pull out the tissue! Try pointing to it and say, "Take It." If that doesn't work, encourage any good behavior that is close to what you want. If he touches the tissue, click and treat. Then say, "Take it." He'll probably understand.
He pulls out the tissue fine, but then he wants to throw it away before he gives it to me! If he does that, don't click and treat. Before he drops it in, say - "No - Bring it!" He'll then bring it to you. Soon, he'll remember to bring it to you every time.
Tip: "Just so you know, you're teaching your dog to pull out all the tissues from the tissue box! Make sure he can't get to them when you're away from home."
