How I Taught My Dog to Retrieve Hair Clips

Buster is a Rat Terrier and he's been my faithful and loyal companion for almost four years. My son had adopted him from an abusive environment, and thought I might like to have him for a companion. My son was right. Buster has been an absolute delight ever since he first walked through my door.

Normally, when I first get a dog, at approximately 8 weeks old, I spend the first 6 to 8 months working with them on house training, and responding to me and my voice; gradually acquainting the dog with some of my training techniques. But with Buster the training had to be a little different. Because of his abused beginnings he was afraid of a raised voice, or of anything that had to be done with a raised hand. He was terrified of the dark, and contrary to most terriers, he was absolutely horrified of water. His first owner's children used to hold him under the water of their pool.

When Buster reached about a year and a half I started noticing that he would do things just to please me, and I would usually only have to show him something about once or twice for him to have it down pat. Within a week he had mastered sit, stay and shake. Because he seemed to glory in doing things for me I started teaching him things that would help me out, and give me pleasure.

I have really long hair and Buster loves to rub the side of his head on my hair when it is down, so I decided that I was going to teach him to hand me my hair clips and to take the clips out of my hair.

Rat Terriers are really smart dogs so teaching him this trick was really not as hard as it may seem. This is how Buster and I accomplished this feat.

Step by Step

The first thing I did was acquaint Buster with the hair clip. I help him in my lap and would let him gently take the clip from the palm of my hand. I would then take it from him, pat him and tell him what a good boy he was. That would please him as much as the treat he got after each training session. I always made sure I took the clip from him right away as I did not want him to chew on it, thinking it was a toy.

The next step I had him do was stay - I would place the clip a few feet from him - then he was to get the clip and bring it to me.

After he had that step down I would then clip the hair clip on my shirt, allow him to gently take the clip off my shirt, and then he would have to place it in my hand.

For the last step I put the clip in my hair, he would take it off and then place it in my hand.

Consistency

Consistency is probably one of the more important training tools I use with Buster. We worked on each one of the steps for two weeks, and things were done the same way each time we worked. With each session he became more aware of what he was supposed to do and when to do it.

Positive Reinforcement

I didn't give Buster a treat every time he did one the steps. What I did do was give him positive reinforcement. I would tell him what a good boy he was, all the while stroking his head and scratching his ears. At the end of each session I would give him a treat.

I am not a professional dog trainer, but I do know dogs. I work with each dog on an individual basis; using their personality and disposition as a factor in their training. At the end of each session they get love and a treat. Well, always lots and lots of love.