Grabbing items when I'm reaching for them- not sure of the best way to handle it?

[drivesleeprepeat]

I don't think I could find a thread on this one, but punch me if there is one.

 

We've had Aero for a month now and most of his house manners have improved by leaps and bounds. One thing he hasn't grown out of is surrendering items when he wants us to throw them.

If he brings the frisbee or ball back and drops it at my feet, he snaps for it as soon as I start picking it up off the ground. Or when I'm not looking and I have it in my hand, he'll snag it from my hand.

My main thing is I hate worrying about him chomping my hand when I reach for something. I'm still working on his "don't" command (our version of "leave it"), and praising him profusely when he doesn't make a pass for something I pick up in front of him. When he does make a pass (and actually lets go instead of trying to initiate tug of war, still working on his "drop it" as well), I just say "DONT" harshly and won't initiate until he lets go.

Any helpful tips? Anything I'm forgetting? My other one has always respected our space with items and other things, I think Aero has this issue just because nobody has ever taught him any boundaries, it seems.

[CptJack]

The best thing for this for me was simply to turn and walk away when the dog made a grab. She really, really, loves ball and disc. She was conflicted about letting go. My feelings were you either put it in my hand and let me have it or I'm not playing - and I'd just tell her 'bye' and leave. Game over.

The other thing is a general leave it. For that I used 'it's yer choice' (It's a Susan Garret game - you can find it on youtube) - starting with food and moving onto her toys which are higher value. That resulted in this:

 

 

 

and a good 'out' with tug, wherein I'd say out and then make the toy go 'dead' (Ie: no tug/fun possible) until she let go. Then I'd mark that with a "YES" and enthusiastically get back into the game.

 

Basically several factors together, but they came together into a dog who's really easy to play with. I taught them all more or less at once, to be honest. I am pretty sure the 'either give up the toy or the game is over' thing came first, though, if only by a bit. When first starting/tiny I used two balls, though, so that I had one to use to 'bait' her into dropping the first.

[drivesleeprepeat]

Those are fantastic ideas, I totally didn't think of that!

[Cass C]

I also use the put it in my hand or I'm not going to play with you method and it worked wonders. I never said anything I would just walk away.

[dsmbc]

Capt Jack's suggestions are exactly what I use as well. It's yer choice is the best game ever and can be applied to so many things. What I found as a key to success with the "out" or "give" is, in the early stages, as soon as they let go, I give it back and re-start the game, tug for a few seconds and ask for the toy/object again and then give it right back and restart the game, etc. Giving it right back/restarting the game right away is the part that builds value for giving it to you.

[chene]

Another vote for stopping the game if the dog makes a grab, for sure. Also, though, and it probably depends on why the dog is making a grab - Aed didn't actually want the toy when he grabbed for it, he just got overexcited and over-ready (think like false starts in track). So often if I reached for it and he did too Ii would take my hand away and he would take his mouth away and I would just look at him, like, "clearly this isn't working for you!" Then I would reach again, and if he grabbed again I'd do the same thing. Usually it only took one or two times for him to catch himself and realize that it wasn't going to get thrown if he tried to grab it. In Aed's case I felt this was fairer than ending the game, since he wasn't really even thinking about what he was doing. I believe ending the game every time he did it would have been more effective, but I didn't mind being patient with it and it was easier for me too. Admittedly he still does it sometimes if you move your hand really fast to grab it or he's really really excited.

[kingfisher7151]

I definitely second everything everyone has said.

 

Keeper has a fantastic drop. I don't usually brag, but it's pretty great. I think the key to a good drop is proving to them that dropping an item results in the game continuing. Someone (Susan Garrett?) has a great video on YouTube of the "dead toy" game. She had two toys (ideally identical, or at least of equal value to the dog) and would go back and forth of tugging with the "live" toy, and ignoring the "dead" one. She'd teach the dog to instantly leave the dead toy in favor of the live one.

 

I did that game a LOT. I tried my hardest to prove to him that dropping a toy would result in something better than the alternative of holding onto the toy. On a separate issue is the impulse control factor, the over excitement and lunging for a toy. On this issue, I asked for a behavior (down) and expected him to hold the position as I slowly introduced new, exciting stimuli. Then I could ask for a down and expect him to wait while I picked up a toy/ball to be thrown again.

[diane allen]

Yep, I taught a "hand" command - which means put it in my hand. My dog doesn't always completely let go at that point, but if it's a toy (usually *not* a ball) that could be tugged, I simply let go. He picked it up pretty quickly. And of course, for a long long time, "hand" is *always* followed by a thrown toy! I've also used it for other items he picks up that he shouldn't. Then it's helpful to have something to trade for it, his preference being food!

 

Good luck!

diane

[drivesleeprepeat]

Update: I've started with just saying "bye!" and turning away when he makes a grab for things, and it's worked WONDERS. He caught on pretty quickly that I wasn't gonna play if he was gonna threaten my fingers. That worked amazingly, seriously. I'm gonna try the other games as well!