Drop It!

Anyone who has a dog has at one point in time wished they had taught their dog two important (maybe life-saving) words – “Drop It!” This would be used when they saunter by the coffee table and remove our favorite reading glasses. They usually feel our panic and hear our voice volume increase as they head for some undisclosed location. I am referring to objects other than food.

What to do, what to do? First! Don’t chase them. Chasing makes everything a game. Your panic may even encourage them to hide the object by swallowing it. Training your dog, particularly a puppy to leave things alone that are yours can seem like a never-ending battle. You can teach them to “leave it.”

This, however, would mean that you were there to witness the theft. The dog thinks “I need to get rid of what is in my mouth because the humans are raging!” Gulp!

Try this. . .when your dog picks up something of yours (other than food), take a breath and at least attempt to lower your energy and lessen your anxiousness. Say “good boy or good girl or both!” Try saying it in a positive tone.

This has worked for me personally on numerous occasions. My experience was that if I wasn’t making a big deal about whatever was in their mouth, they drop it for a “good boy” and a little adoration.

I wonder what would happen if we tried this on humans?