# Training A Dog To Mouth Items



## 3mor (Apr 11, 2013)

Dotty isn't naturally a mouthy dog, and so I'm having to train her to put things in to her mouth before I can train her to pick things up off the floor for me. 
We went from rawhide chew to a chop stick very easily, but getting her to open her mouth on the dumbbell is more difficult as she doesn't seem to understand it. She is making lots of nose/closed mouth contact, a little licking and 2 very small teeth touches today but I was wondering if anyone might have a few tricks or tips to offer to us? Or even just some sympathy, I've never met anyone else with a dog who won't mouth things


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

What methods are you using to train her? I just read this great article about getting a dog toy motivated but I think it could help you, it's step by step, so you can stop when you get her doing what you want. I'm on my phone now but I'll PM it to you in the morning.


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## 1605 (May 27, 2009)

3mor said:


> Dotty isn't naturally a mouthy dog, and so I'm having to train her to put things in to her mouth before I can train her to pick things up off the floor for me.
> We went from rawhide chew to a chop stick very easily, but getting her to open her mouth on the dumbbell is more difficult as she doesn't seem to understand it. She is making lots of nose/closed mouth contact, a little licking and 2 very small teeth touches today but I was wondering if anyone might have a few tricks or tips to offer to us? Or even just some sympathy, I've never met anyone else with a dog who won't mouth things


If you make it a game, does she respond? Like doing "fetch" with her favourite toys to make it a game?

There is also the method where you put something tasty on the object like peanut butter.


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## Maxy24 (Mar 5, 2011)

With the raw hide and chop stick did she give a good full bite? If so I would try to go back to one of those things and then work the dumbbell into those sessions. Do the raw hide several times then do one with the dumbbell. Reward whatever he'll give you on the dumbbell then go right back to the raw hide and reward full bites. Hopefully over time she'll generalize to the dumbbell and give it a better grab that you can build on.

It could be a texture or weight thing, you may need to have an intermediate object she likes better.

I've always started with toys and just teased until he bit, but if your dog isn't mouthy I'd assume she probably doesn't tug or anything like that. My next step is usually a rope. With Tucker I then tied the rope to the next object I wanted (I was teaching him to pick up our keys) and after a while of that I ditched the rope and he grabbed the keys just fine.


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## LeonilCraig (Oct 7, 2013)

Given that dogs are dogs and will pick things up, it’s nice to teach them to spit things out happily when we ask them to.


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## rogerharris (Jun 13, 2013)

I would like to advice you that you should take the help of "Dog Training Academy". They are expert in it and they will train your dog. Thanks.


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## CesarMillan56 (Apr 4, 2014)

Yeah, its also very important part to trained your dog for mouth items. This training also helps to keep your your home clean.

Thank you


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## CesarMillan56 (Apr 4, 2014)

*Trained your dog*

Yeah, its also very important part to trained your dog for mouth items. This training also helps to keep your your home clean.

Thank you


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## Shamrockmommy (Sep 10, 2009)

To train my Echo (pwd) to hold/carry the dumbbell for obedience, I had to start out with a stuffy toy, then moved on to a squeaky toy shaped sort of like a dumb bell and then moved up to a tiny dumbbell meant for small dogs (she did NOT like the hard plastic in her mouth) and finally up to the right-sized dumbbell. 

She got lots of praise when I held her mouth closed (gently) around the toy, just for a second, then released and praised and give a tidbit of food. She now will fetch and carry and hold the dumbbell with joy because we made it a fun game.
HTH


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## CesarMillan56 (Apr 4, 2014)

Yes, Training a dog to get mouth items easily and have all eatables with cleanness. 

Thank you


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## DwayneTaylor (Jan 8, 2015)

It is very important to trained a dog because holding anything without chewing it is a really a great trick or skill and it is very useful for dog to know about this nice technique.


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