What is a good way to teach a dog to drop something in a bucket?

Question

My pup is a worker and loves to bring me stuff to help around the house and yard (sticks, pine cones, little pieces of trash). It's very cute--not to mention potentially very helpful, but she brings them to me and I am sometimes working and do not want to touch the stuff. She also occasionally brings in poo and dead birds to "clean up" the yard, so I would rather not handle that.

Answer 1

First train your dog in the language you use, and teach him the words for what he is already doing. Use the same words all the time. When he's picking up something to bring to you, the word is usually FETCH. You say he does this naturally so all you have to do is use the word a lot when he is doing it, while you are praising him for doing it. "Good Fetch, Max! That is so good when you fetch!" petting and adoring on him. You know when he knows the word when he isn't doing it, and he does it because you say the word.

Then you teach RELEASE. To let go instead of carrying it around or playing tug o war with you with it.

Then you teach DROP, to let go without having to take it from him.

Then you teach BUCKET. By putting it underneath where he would drop it anyway and praise him for it, saying bucket over and over. You can also teach him what the bucket is by making noises with or letting him chew on the bucket saying the word over and over. Then start moving the bucket to keep the association with the bucket and he doesn't get rewarded if he doesn't put the thing in the bucket.

Then you can play a game of fetch while you work in the yard. You pick up something and toss it for him to retrieve it, and then say bucket and see what he does. Of course if he does, you lavish him with attention. You might have to settle for him trying to bring you things, and you redirect him to the bucket then let him come to you for a bit of attention.

In time, you might be able to teach him words like poop, pinecones, etc...and link them to a certain task. When he knows what to do he will do it for a reward.

The key in my opinion, is to make sure he knows what you are asking him to do, by making your commands ONE word that he knows. You break down the task in bits, starting with what he already does, and moving in small increments to what you what you expect him to do for you. You reward him everytime he does something that is closer to what you want than it was before. This is called approximation.

Answer 2

The best thing is to teach the "trick" in steps. I would recommend using clicker training. A good clicker trick book will break it down - use the trick that they call picking up toys or tidying up, something like that.