Green and his toys

[GreensMom]

The last few weekends Green has managed to take out every single toy he owns. He does play with every one of them. It's almost like YEAH everyone is here so toys for everyone. Lets play!
Of course this has started since we are back in school. Let me say that every morning before I go so school we have play time. Throw the ball outside. Play with his new favorite elephant inside. He is left with a scavenger hunt when I leave. When I get back more play time. After dinner more play time, Baron comes over too, so not much has changed for morning and afternoon/evening time. I make sure he gets lots of attention and both mental and physical exercise. I am sure he misses us around during the day though.
Problem is, then there are toys everywhere. I keep stepping on them, which is not fun. This weekend I have an awful head cold so I can't even bend to pick them up.
Which brings me to my question. How can I teach Green to put his toys away? Lucky used to do it but we didn't teach him. I just said put your toys away and he did! Any suggestions? Thanks!

[suplese]

good question, I'd love to know the answer to that one as well. We have a big basket of toys, nanna usually dumps the whole basket over and it's a free for all with the toys, but then they are everywhere, I can usually convinced one of the little ones to pick them up, but would love for the dogs to learn to pick up after themselves as well.

[RockysMum]

I'd like the answer to that too then Rocky could earn his keep by doing housework. hope your cold clears up soon Kelly.

[LadyDaniela]

I'd make it a game

[GreensMom]

LD what do you mean?

I KNOW he can do it. Lucky did but I didn't teach him. I just threw the toy into the basket and said put your toys away. Then I gave him one and he did it. After that all we had to say was put your toys away, and he did.

[LadyDaniela]

pickup toy (treat) pick up/put down (treat) pick up/walk/put down (treat) etc

[GreensMom]

thanks! I'm going to try tomorrow after I go to the Dr. Hopefully I will feel better.

[Vicky]

If Holly is playing with a toy she will sometimes go over to her toybox and put it back but not all of the time i never taught her.

[Country Girl]

Two winters ago I taught Maggie how to 'clean up for bed'. I used to start picking up the toys and I'd hand her one and show her where to put it, then I'd get all excited when she dropped it in the basket and we would 'party'. Then I'd give her another one and so on till they were all put away, then I'd get her a cookie. The trouble now is, Maggie will sometimes put a toy away, but then Max runs over and drags it back out. Lol.

[GreensMom]

This is exactly what I want to teach Green. Lucky did it every night before bed. I just said put your toys away, and he did. Last night when I was picking up I called Green to me and I said lets put your toys away. Then I would say get your .... (insert name of toy here), he would bring it to me and thought it was play time. I would take it, drop it in the basket, and say away. He was very interested in watching me clean up. Tonight we are going to try him doing it. Even one toy to start would make me happy. I feel like I have a toddler again there are so many toys strewn all over. When Lauren was little there was a rule of 2 toys out at a time. After that one had to be put away before the next one came out. Think I can teach Green that?

[goldcreek]

When Bonnie was three or four months old I was trying to teach her to put her toys away by shaping with a clicker (one pup, one toy, one basket: click/treat for picking up the toy, moving towards the basket, etc...). She understood picking up toys quickly but we stalled out getting her to move with the toy. She decided that what I really wanted was the toy flung into the air with great force. So I had toys flying all over the living room....up into the houseplants, on top of the TV, and even some right in my face. No toys in the basket however. We got distracted with agility and whatnot and haven't worked on tricks in a while. I was planning on using this to teach her to make a basket with the toy, tossing it up like basketball. I'll get around to it one of these days...

Since I'm obviously not a great clicker trainer I'll give you a more straight forward approach. It shouldn't be hard with a dog who already likes toys and retrieving. Start by holding the basket. Tell him to bring his toy, then have him drop it in the basket instead of in your hand. Then throw a praise party! Tell him how amazing he is! Repeat a few times until he really likes the game, while adding a new cue like 'Clean up' 'Put the toys away' or whatever. Then start moving the basket a little bit farther away from yourself, until it is where it usually is and he is taking the toy to the basket, not to you. If he gets stuck and confused at any point you can help him by walking with him to the basket and encouraging him, showing him what you want, keep it very upbeat and really make a fun game out of it.

Bonnie loses interest in toys left around the house. So I keep the basket up high and only bring out a few at a times, then I rotate which ones are out so they are always new and exciting. When I bring out a favorite toy she hasn't seen for a week it just makes her day.

[Iona123]

When we took Skye to puppy training, she had to learn a new "trick" for her final class, so we decided to teach her to "tidy up"... sort of!
We used clicker training and plenty of treats and eventually got her to put her toys away one by one.

Its a bit anoying now as she insists on sticking her head in all the waste baskets to see if her toys are there!!!

Some Puppy training

I took this vid when she was about 3 months of what she'd learnt at her class. Craig used a the mop pole just to prompt/remind her what she was doing... concentration span was veeerrry short back then

[GreensMom]

Well you can't blame her for checking wastebaskets. Bc's are too smart aren't they?