The Get Command In Dog Training

Smart dogs know how to get things when asked. He can learn to get anything that he knows the word for. To teach your dog to get something that is the first factor that must be considered. Does he know the name of the object you want him to get. If so, you can start teaching him to get it when asked.

For this example we will use his leash. I will use my own dog's name for these examples. Stand or sit in a specific spot with your pet's leash a good distance from you but visible. Say "Get Munchie's leash" (use the pet's name, not pronouns such as your or my. He can't understand pronouns.) While Munchie knows what his leash is he has no clue yet what you are saying so you will need to walk him over to the leash and put it in his mouth. Hold the leash in his mouth and walk him over to where you were when you issued the command. Praise him lavishly - "Good boy get leash". Next ask for his collar using the same method.

Next you will ask him to get your shoes. This task is doubly as complicated because there will be more people's shoes than yours and there are two shoes instead of just one. For this task you will substitute your name for his. My dog knows me as "MOM" so the command is "Get Mom's shoes". You will need to put one shoe in his mouth and lead him back to where you issued the command. Now you will ask him to "Get more shoe". Take him to the other shoe, put it in his mouth, hold it there while leading him back to where you issued the command. "GOOD BOY GET MOM"S MORE SHOE".

Here is where it becomes important that he has learned names for the various people in the household. Once your pup learns to "get Mom's shoe" without you actually putting them in his mouth, he is going to pick up the wrong shoes sometimes. Simply tell him "No mom's shoe" "Dad's shoe (or Bobby's shoe" or whoever's they are) while taking it out of his mouth. Give him one of your shoes while saying "Here Mom's shoe". Then you can tell him "get more mom's shoe". It might take him awhile to get the hang of bringing the right shoes to the right people and to get the correct "more shoe", but he will catch on.

It makes it easier for him to do so if the shoes you ask for are always the same ones, of course. You may want to only ask for your usual walking shoes and just get your own if you are going to wear different shoes often. He will know which shoes you usually wear walking with him. Later after he's had more teaching he will be able to get your boots, or your park shoes, as well as your usual walking shoes, but go slow on this training. It is pretty complex training and the more people in your household, the more complex it is for your pup to learn.
You now have the essentials you need to know to teach your dog words and the concepts that the words represent. Your pet will be starting to understand words he knows when strung together in phrases. As far as higher command training, you can now do much on your own. Classes, however, are a good idea for anyone with higher intentions than an intelligent pet. You can teach your dog to search and rescue on your own, but can't get the certifications for them to do so without classes.

Now that your dog is building a good vocabulary and a solid foundation of understanding what he is being told, you will want to work on developing his interactive skills.