Sparky, go fetch me a beer! We’ve seen it in movies and sitcoms, but can you actually train your dog to grab you a drink from the fridge? The simple answer – yes! With diligent practice and the right guidance, you can have your four-legged friend performing this and other advanced tricks. If you don’t find the following tips to be working, you may need professional dog training in NJ to get the job done.
Baseline Tricks
Fetching a beer is considered an advanced dog trick because it requires training in multiple tricks. Not only should your dog know how to play tug-of-war with a rope but they should also know how to fetch. Your dog will also need to know how to stand on their hind legs in order to close the refrigerator door. You have to make sure your dog has these basic skills down before attempting the more advanced skills necessary to fetch you a drink. It may be a good idea to bring your pooch to someone offering professional dog training in NJ if you are unable to teach these tricks alone.
Rope the Fridge
The next part of the trick requires you to tie some sort of rope or towel around the refrigerator door handle. Your dog may not be interested in the rope at first so give them behavioral reinforcement when they pay attention to it using a clicker or treats. Reward them when they first look at the rope and give a second reinforcement when they touch the rope.
Play tug of war with the rope while it is attached to the door and encourage them to interact with the rope. Reward them when they bite the rope and when they pull on it. Once they pull the door open, give them a snack and continue the process until the behavior is repeatable and consistent. Some dogs may quickly pick this trick up while others may require professional dog training in NJ for extra guidance.
Fetching Cans or Bottles
Another component of this advanced trick is acclimating your dog to pick up cold cans or bottles. Take a cold can or bottle and put it on the floor, near the refrigerator door you want them to eventually open. Go through your fetch commands and reinforce them when they bite or pick the container up. Stop giving them positive reinforcement if they keep licking the cold container. Once you’ve gotten them used to fetching a cold drink, repeat the fetch process with the refrigerator door open and the beer inside. Point to the beer while giving fetch commands, this helps your dog understand the rules for this new scenario. By combining the dog training techniques of opening the fridge and fetching drinks, your dog should be able to get you a beer! Combining these techniques is not a simple feat and may require professional dog training in NJ.
Closing the Door
It’s great that your pup can now fetch a beer but you cannot forget about closing the refrigerator door. It is assumed that your dog can already stand on their hind legs. Open your refrigerator door and give your dog the command to get on their hind legs. Once they are doing so, move treats toward the refrigerator door until they move forward and put their paws on it. Continue this positive reinforcement until your dog can close the door on command.
Expert Dog Training in NJ
These advanced tricks are not easy to teach. There are many techniques to remember and they must be executed swiftly. Sometimes it’s best to look into professional dog training in NJ. Beau’s K9 Academy is here to help you train your dog to grab you a beer and so much more. We also offer an array of other dog training services like behavior modification, in-home training, puppy training, and even advanced search and rescue training. For the very best dog training in NJ, contact Bea’s K9 Academy today.