Teach your dog to tidy up their toys

Teach your dog to tidy up and they'll learn a new trick as well as keeping your living room tidy and organised.

Adult trailhound, outside, playing with toy

For our four-legged friends, tidying up toys can be as fun as playtime. Teaching your dog new tricks engages their mind. Plus, the bonus of a tidy living room is pretty good for us humans too.

Let’s find out how to teach your dog to put away their toys with the help of Dog School coach Allie and her pooch Rufus.

All you need is some of their favourite treats and, of course, your dog’s favourite toys.

How to train your dog to tidy up

1
Teach your dog to pick up the toy
Pick up a toy and show it to your dog. Whenever your dog shows interest in the toy, mark it and reward them for engaging with it with your marker or cue word and a treat. Look out for the moments when your dog puts their mouth around the toy. Keep repeating, ensuring to...
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Pick up a toy and show it to your dog. Whenever your dog shows interest in the toy, mark it and reward them for engaging with it with your marker or cue word and a treat. Look out for the moments when your dog puts their mouth around the toy. Keep repeating, ensuring to mark and reward each time.

Introduce a marker
2
Introduce a verbal cue
You can then start to introduce a verbal cue, like 'get it’. Keep repeating step one but introduce ‘get it’ the moment they put their mouth around the toy. Continue to mark and reward.
3
Practise with different toys
Next, try holding the toy in different places. Then, keep it on the floor for them to pick up and try it with different toys.
4
Teach your dog to drop
Once your dog is used to the idea of picking up a toy and holding it, you want to start teaching them to drop it. So, ask your dog to ‘get it’. Then, as soon as they let go and drop the toy, mark and reward.
5
Introduce another verbal cue
Now you can start to introduce a verbal cue to them dropping their toy, like ‘drop’. Teaching your dog to ‘drop it’ on command can be incredibly helpful, especially if they’ve picked up something that could be dangerous or toxic to them, like a chicken bone or a piece of...
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Now you can start to introduce a verbal cue to them dropping their toy, like ‘drop’. Teaching your dog to ‘drop it’ on command can be incredibly helpful, especially if they’ve picked up something that could be dangerous or toxic to them, like a chicken bone or a piece of chocolate.
6
Target train your dog
Choose the item you want your dog to pick their toys up and take them to, like a toy box or basket. Next, you’ll need to teach your dog to target that item. To do this, any time your dog goes near the box, mark and reward them. You can then start to introduce the verbal cue...
Show details
Choose the item you want your dog to pick their toys up and take them to, like a toy box or basket. Next, you’ll need to teach your dog to target that item. To do this, any time your dog goes near the box, mark and reward them.

You can then start to introduce the verbal cue for ‘box’, ‘basket’ or whichever item you want them to take their toys to.
7
Put all the steps together
Tell your dog to ‘get it’, ‘box’ and ‘drop’, and your dog should be tidying up toys in no time at all.

Now you have taught your dog how to put away their toys, you can start teaching them another new trick. Why not train your dog to put their paws up? Then they can strike a pose for photos!