Kroki

Question · Puppy

How do I teach my puppy to put its toys away?

The short answer

Put a low, open box next to you and sit on the floor with your puppy. When it holds a toy, hold a treat just above the box: as your puppy opens its mouth to take the treat, the toy falls in. Mark that moment and pay. Repeat with one toy at a time, then add a word like “Tidy”. Kroki, a reward-based training app for puppies and dogs, teaches “Drop” and a hand target, two skills this trick grows from.

How to do it, step by step

  1. Pick a puppy-sized box

    Use a box or basket with low sides, so your puppy can reach in without climbing. A cardboard box cut down to ankle height works well. Put it on a rug where a dropped toy will not bounce out.

  2. Practise a happy swap first

    While your puppy holds a soft toy, offer a treat at its nose. Most puppies let go to eat. Say your marker word as the toy leaves the mouth, give the treat and hand the toy back. Ten easy swaps teach your puppy that letting go is a good deal.

  3. Let the box catch the toy

    Now sit beside the box and do the same swap with your treat hand held right above it. The toy drops, lands in the box, and you mark and reward. At first it is pure luck where the toy lands; that is fine.

  4. Wait for a deliberate drop

    After a few lucky landings, hold your hand a little higher and wait a second. Many puppies start to dip their head toward the box. Reward that clearly. If the toy lands outside the box, smile, pick it up and try again with the box closer.

  5. Name it and add a second toy

    Once the toy goes in most of the time, say “Tidy” just before you hold your hand over the box. Then place a second toy a short step away and reward each one that ends up inside. Stop after three or four toys.

Teaching an older dog?

A grown dog can carry a toy across the room and handle sessions of a few minutes, so you can start with the toy further away and build longer chains. Some adult dogs, especially rescue dogs, find it hard to let go of things, and the trade step needs extra care. The page for grown dogs explains that route.

Why tidying toys away keeps them interesting

Dogs get bored with the same toy surprisingly fast. In a study with Labrador Retrievers, dogs that were offered one toy again and again in short play periods played with it less each time, and their interest came back when a different toy appeared (Pullen, Merrill and Bradshaw 2012). The toys in that study differed in colour or smell, and either change worked equally well.

For a puppy at home this suggests a simple routine: a basket where most toys disappear for a while, and a few that come back out in turn. A trick that puts toys away is therefore not only cute; it supports the toy rotation that keeps old toys new.

You do not need long sessions to get there. Dogs trained once a week reached a learning goal in fewer sessions than dogs trained five times a week (Meyer and Ladewig 2008). With a young puppy, a few toys dropped in the box before dinner, with rest days in between, is enough practice.

Teething puppies and other snags

  • It chews the toy instead of dropping it: teething puppies need to chew. Give a chew first, then practise with a less exciting toy when the urge has eased.
  • It runs off with the toy: practise on a lead or in a small room, and never chase. Chasing turns tidying into a game of catch-me.
  • It tips the box over: weigh it down with a book underneath, or use a heavier basket.
  • It takes toys back out: that is normal. Reward the drop and leave the emptying for later; puppies often love both games.

Common mistakes

  • Pulling the toy out of your puppy’s mouth. It learns to hold on harder or to run.
  • Starting with a full room of toys. One toy next to the box is the right first step.
  • Using a basket with high sides. A puppy that has to jump in or stretch on its hind legs strains young joints.
  • Using socks or shoes as practice items. Your puppy cannot tell your things from its toys.

When to see a professional

Toy tidying is a gentle trick. Get help first if:

The help pages list services in Germany, Austria and Switzerland only. Elsewhere, ask your vet practice who they recommend near you.

Frequently asked questions

At what age can a puppy learn to tidy up toys?

Most puppies can start the first swaps from about ten weeks. The full trick takes longer, and many puppies only get there in their second half-year.

Which toys are best for practising with a puppy?

Soft, light toys that fit easily in a small mouth work best. Avoid squeakers at first, because they make letting go harder.

My puppy brings the toy but won’t let go over the box. What now?

Go back to swaps away from the box for a day or two. Then bring the box in again and keep your treat hand very close above it.

Should I let my puppy keep some toys out?

Yes, leave a chew and one or two toys out for your puppy to use. Tidy the rest away and swap a few back in every couple of days.

How do I stop my teething puppy from chewing the toy box?

Use a plastic or fabric basket rather than cardboard, and give plenty of chews outside training. Chewing the box usually stops once the teething phase is over.

Can children help teach the puppy to put toys away?

Older children can, with an adult sitting with them. Show them how to swap with a treat and never to pull a toy out of the puppy’s mouth.

Sources