Dog Training to Retrieve Toys by Name

Dog Obedience Training: Grow Their Vocabulary


You may not have ever thought this was possible, but you can actually train your dog to know all of their toys by name. Not only is it important to exercise your dog physically, but to stimulate them mentally. Teaching them this skill is a fun brain puzzle that can grow their vocabulary in addition to impressing friends and family. One border collie named Chaser could identify over 1000 of her toys by name, which opened our eyes and shifted our understanding of dogs' cognitive abilities and what they're capable of learning.


The most important thing is to be consistent with the name you use for each object. You can get creative and choose a unique name, such as a tug-of-war rope doesn't necessarily have to be called "rope", just make sure you stick with whatever you choose. If you need, you can even make a list of them so you don't change the names by accident and confuse your pet.


It helps to start with their favorites, it'll keep their attention and they'll be more focused and invested in remembering the name. If your dog is toy-motivated they will likely pick this skill up more easily than others, but any dog can learn this trick. It is especially beneficial to introduce this during their puppy training when they're young.


Once you've chosen the right toy to start with, the first step is to pick a name for it and set it in front of your dog. Give the command you prefer such as "get the toy!" or "bring the toy!" but replace "toy" with the name for that particular one. After they bring it to you, reward them with a treat and praise. 

The second step is repetition. Do this several times, making sure to always use the object's "name" while giving the request so they begin to make the connection between that toy and that name. It's okay if you have to divide this up into several shorter training sessions over time, it's crucial to notice and respect when your dog is becoming bored or agitated and give them a break so they continue to see training as a fun and positive thing. We want them to look forward to it, not come to resent it.  

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Dog Obedience Training:

Grow Their Vocabulary


You may not have ever thought this was possible, but you can actually train your dog to know all of their toys by name. Not only is it important to exercise your dog physically, but to stimulate them mentally. Teaching them this skill is a fun brain puzzle that can grow their vocabulary in addition to impressing friends and family. One border collie named Chaser could identify over 1000 of her toys by name, which opened our eyes and shifted our understanding of dogs' cognitive abilities and what they're capable of learning.


The most important thing is to be consistent with the name you use for each object. You can get creative and choose a unique name, such as a tug-of-war rope doesn't necessarily have to be called "rope", just make sure you stick with whatever you choose. If you need, you can even make a list of them so you don't change the names by accident and confuse your pet.


It helps to start with their favorites, it'll keep their attention and they'll be more focused and invested in remembering the name. If your dog is toy-motivated they will likely pick this skill up more easily than others, but any dog can learn this trick. It is especially beneficial to introduce this during their puppy training when they're young.

Speak With A Dog

Training Expert

Speak With A Dog Training Expert

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Once you've chosen the right toy to start with, the first step is to pick a name for it and set it in front of your dog. Give the command you prefer such as "get the toy!" or "bring the toy!" but replace "toy" with the name for that particular one. After they bring it to you, reward them with a treat and praise. 


The second step is repetition. Do this several times, making sure to always use the object's "name" while giving the request so they begin to make the connection between that toy and that name. It's okay if you have to divide this up into several shorter training sessions over time, it's crucial to notice and respect when your dog is becoming bored or agitated and give them a break so they continue to see training as a fun and positive thing. We want them to look forward to it, not come to resent it.

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Next, choose another ordinary object that isn't too exciting or distracting and place that next to the toy they have learned to identify. You want to make sure your puppy is able to intentionally distinguish between objects and pick the one being asked of them. Every time they bring the correct one, reward again with treats and praise; keep it a positive dog training experience. You can switch the order of the objects around to test it several times, and when they are consistently identifying the toy by its name despite where it is you can move on to step four.


It's time to kick it up a notch. Now, place the first toy next to another toy- preferably not a favorite so it's less distracting. Ask them to do the same thing, rewarding your pet every time they're successful. Once they can successfully pick out the named toy amongst other objects and toys, you can teach them the name of a new toy starting with step one. 


When they know the name of multiple toys, you can place those next to each other and alternate asking them to bring whichever one you want. In addition to this trick, you can teach them how to clean up their toys, which is even more fun if you can ask them to clean up specific toys by name!


If at any time during this process your dog seems to be struggling with a step, go back and practice the previous step until they have mastered it for a few sessions, then increase the difficulty again. No matter how many names you add to their vocabulary, practice the ones they've already learned on a regular basis. Repetition will help maintain that vocabulary. Soon they'll be able to choose specific toys out of a whole basket of them on command!