Tidy Up
Tricks · 21 steps · by @allison
Your Dog will learn to pick up their toys and drop them into a bin, both for the verbal cue 'Put it away' and as a clean-up game with several toys.
This trick is a chain: Your Dog picks up a toy, carries it to the bin, and drops it in. The hard part is aiming, since most dogs love to bring the toy to their person and drop it next to them. So this version teaches the chain **backwards from the bin**: head in the bin first, then letting go over it, then fetching the toy from farther and farther away.
**Stand off to the side from the very first rep.** You never hold the bin and never stand behind it. You start about 2 feet off to the bin's side and stay there, so heading to the bin and heading to you are never the same direction. Every rep pays Your Dog for going to the bin, not to you.
**Eyes on the bin, not on Your Dog.** Eye contact has a long, rich history of paying off, and a still person staring at the dog is a powerful cue to come back to them. Look at the bin or the floor, or turn slightly sideways. Hands still, no pointing.
**Place the toy, do not hand it.** Set the toy down on the side of the bin away from you, so the straight line from toy to bin never runs toward you. Handing an object to the mouth is the picture of a hold, so placing keeps Tidy Up and Hold from blurring together.
**Reward in the bin:** A closed treat jar sits in the bin. Mark first, then step to the bin, open the jar and drop the treat in, then return to your spot. Keep paying into the bin through every step until the two-toy steps, once Tidy Up is reliable on cue; then switch to paying from your hand so the behavior travels to any bin in any room.
**Judge strictly.** A pass is Your Dog's head over the bin as the toy drops. A toy that bounces in by luck while she is looking at you is a fail: paying flukes keeps dropping-near-you alive.
**An optional no-reward marker.** Some trainers like to say a light, flat "Oops" the instant Your Dog drops the toy outside the bin, purely as information about which rep did not pay. It is optional, and it is not a telling-off. Skip it if it comes out sharp or if Your Dog gets frustrated. Withholding the treat carries the same information on its own.
**A Marker:** a clicker or a verbal word like "Yes" to mark the instant the head is over the bin or the toy lands inside.
**Setup:** An open box or basket with low sides. Low sides make it easy for Your Dog to aim the toy in and see their own success. Switch to a deeper toy bin once they are confident.
**Keep sessions short.** Carrying is tiring. Two or three short sessions beat one long one.
**If Your Dog lies down in the bin** (treating its soft sides like a dog bed and offering a down instead of aiming the toy), switch to a firmer bin or raise it on a low stool. A raised or firm-sided bin is hard to lie on, so Your Dog goes back to dropping the toy in.
Training steps
Treats in the bin, from the side
Setup: An open bin is on the floor. You stand about 2 feet off to its side.
From your spot beside the bin, toss a few treats into it so Your Dog dips their head in to eat them. Mark the moment their nose crosses into the bin, then let them clean up. Look at the bin, not at Your Dog. This builds a happy habit of heading for the bin while you stay off to the side.
Success: Your Dog puts their nose into the bin.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Head into the bin, you 2 feet to the side
Setup: No toy. A closed treat jar sits in the bin. You stand about 2 feet off to the bin's side, looking at the bin.
Stand still, hands empty, eyes on the bin. Wait for Your Dog to check out the bin. Mark the moment their head dips over or into it, then step in, open the jar, drop a treat into the bin, and return to your spot. If they stare at you, keep looking at the bin and wait a few seconds.
Success: Your Dog goes to the bin and puts their head over or into it within about 5 seconds.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Drop the toy from the rim
Setup: A toy lies across the bin's rim, half inside, on the side away from you. You stand 2 feet off to the side, looking at the bin.
This is the last link of the chain, taught first. Your Dog only has to mouth or pick up the toy and let it fall in. Mark the moment it drops in with their head over the bin, then pay from the jar into the bin.
Success: Your Dog's head is over the bin as the toy drops in.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Toy touching the bin
Setup: A toy is on the floor against the bin, on the side away from you. You stand 2 feet off to the side, looking at the bin.
Now Your Dog picks the toy up off the floor, but the bin is right there. Stay still and keep your eyes on the bin. Mark when the toy drops in with their head over the bin, then pay into the bin.
Success: Your Dog's head is over the bin as the toy drops in.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Toy 6 inches from the bin
Setup: A toy is on the floor about 6 inches from the bin, on the side away from you. You stand 2 feet off to the side.
A smaller jump in toy distance. Keep the toy on the far side of the bin from you, eyes on the bin, and pay into the bin.
Success: Your Dog's head is over the bin as the toy drops in.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Toy 1 foot from the bin
Setup: A toy is on the floor about 1 foot from the bin, on the side away from you. You stand 2 feet off to the side.
Your Dog now carries the toy a step to the bin. Place it in the same spot every rep so the line from toy to bin never points at you. Stay still, look at the bin, mark the drop, pay into the bin.
Success: Your Dog's head is over the bin as the toy drops in.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Toy 2 feet from the bin
Setup: A toy is on the floor about 2 feet from the bin, on the side away from you. You stand 2 feet off to the side.
An in-between carry distance. Same spot every rep, eyes on the bin, pay into the bin.
Success: Your Dog's head is over the bin as the toy drops in.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Toy 3 feet from the bin
Setup: A toy is on the floor about 3 feet from the bin, on the side away from you. You stand 2 feet off to the side.
A real carry, with you still off to the side. Stay still and quiet with your eyes on the bin. Mark when the toy drops in, then step in and pay into the bin.
Success: Your Dog's head is over the bin as the toy drops in.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Toy in a new spot each rep
Setup: A toy is on the floor 2 to 3 feet from the bin, in a different spot each rep (never between you and the bin). You stand 2 feet off to the side.
Move the toy to a new spot around the bin every rep, so Your Dog learns to find the bin from any direction rather than repeating one path. Eyes on the bin, mark the drop, pay into the bin.
Success: Your Dog's head is over the bin as the toy drops in.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
You 3 feet to the side, toy close
Setup: A toy is on the floor about 1 foot from the bin, on the side away from you. You stand about 3 feet off to the bin's side.
You move farther out, so the carry gets short again to make up for it. Eyes on the bin, mark the drop, then step to the bin and pay into it before returning to your spot.
Success: Your Dog's head is over the bin as the toy drops in.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
You 3 feet to the side
Setup: A toy is on the floor 2 to 3 feet from the bin, on the side away from you. You stand about 3 feet off to the bin's side.
You are well off to the side now and the bin is clearly the target. Stay still with your eyes on the bin. Mark the drop, step to the bin and pay into it, then return to your spot.
Success: Your Dog's head is over the bin as the toy drops in.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
You 2 feet to the other side
Setup: A toy is on the floor 2 to 3 feet from the bin. You stand about 2 feet off the bin's OTHER side.
The mirror image of where you started. Swapping sides is a new picture, so you come back in to 2 feet. Eyes on the bin, mark the drop, pay into the bin.
Success: Your Dog's head is over the bin as the toy drops in.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
You 3 feet to the other side
Setup: A toy is on the floor 2 to 3 feet from the bin. You stand about 3 feet off the bin's OTHER side.
The same 3 feet, on the opposite side, so Your Dog learns the bin is the target whichever side you are on. Stay still, eyes on the bin, mark the drop, step in and pay into the bin.
Success: Your Dog's head is over the bin as the toy drops in, while you stand 3 feet off the far side.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Add the verbal cue
Setup: A toy is on the floor near the bin.
Now put the behavior on cue. Say 'Put it away' once, then point to or look at the toy to prompt Your Dog to pick it up and drop it in the bin. Mark and reinforce when it lands inside. Keep dropping the treat into the bin while you are still on one toy at a time. Saying the cue just before they start links the words to the whole tidy-up chain.
Success: Your Dog picks up the toy and drops it in the bin.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Only the verbal cue
Setup: A toy is on the floor near the bin.
Say 'Put it away' once and wait, without pointing or leaning in. Give Your Dog a few seconds to pick up the toy and drop it in on their own. Mark and reinforce when it lands inside. If they stall, go back to prompting for a few reps, then fade your help again.
Success: Your Dog picks up the toy and drops it in the bin for the cue alone.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Tidy up from 5 feet
Setup: A toy is on the floor about 5 feet from the bin.
Place the toy about 5 feet from the bin and cue 'Put it away' once. This is a stepping stone toward the full width of the room. Keep the distance the same for every rep of this step. Mark and reinforce when the toy lands inside.
Success: Your Dog carries the toy to the bin and drops it in.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Tidy up from across the room
Setup: A toy is across the room from the bin.
Place the toy 10 or more feet from the bin and cue 'Put it away' once. Your Dog has to carry it the whole way and aim it in. Keep the distance the same for every rep of this step. Mark and reinforce when it lands inside.
Success: Your Dog carries the toy to the bin and drops it in.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Two toys, prompt the second
Setup: Two toys are on the floor near the bin.
Cue 'Put it away' once for the first toy. When it lands in the bin, do not cue again: point at the second toy or look at it to prompt Your Dog to go get it. Mark when the second toy lands in the bin and pay one treat for the pair, from your hand now rather than into the bin, since the pay comes at the end of the whole job. Prompting instead of re-cueing is what teaches Your Dog that a single cue covers the whole job.
Success: Your Dog puts both toys in the bin for one cue and a prompt.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Two toys for one cue
Setup: Two toys are on the floor near the bin.
Cue 'Put it away' once and then stay quiet. After the first toy lands, give Your Dog a few seconds to go back for the second on their own. Mark when the second toy lands in the bin and pay one treat for the whole job. If they stop after one toy, go back to prompting the second for a few reps, then fade the prompt again.
Success: Your Dog puts both toys in the bin for a single cue.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Three toys for one cue
Setup: Three toys are on the floor near the bin.
The same game with three toys. Cue 'Put it away' once and let Your Dog work through all three without another word from you. Pay one treat once the last toy is in the bin.
Success: Your Dog puts all three toys in the bin for a single cue.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Put the whole pile away
Setup: Four toys are scattered around the room with the bin in its usual spot.
This is the real-life version. Scatter four toys around the room, cue 'Put it away' once, and let Your Dog put every one away without another cue from you. Mark and pay one treat once the last toy is in the bin.
Success: Your Dog puts all four toys in the bin, one after another, for a single cue.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Lovely work. Your Dog can now pick up a toy and drop it into the bin, both on the cue 'Put it away' and as a clean-up game with a whole pile.
From here, Tidy Up is a real chore you can actually use, not just a drill. Fold it into the end of play: when you are done, cue 'Put it away' and put the toys away together, paying generously at first so the game stays fun. Keep it happy, since a chore that pays well is one Your Dog will keep offering.
You can also pay with the job itself. Once the last toy is in the bin, pull one back out and have a quick game of tug or fetch with it. For a lot of dogs that is a better wage than a treat, and it keeps the bin from meaning the fun is over.
Generalize it so the cue means tidy up anywhere. Practice with different bins, in different rooms, and with different toys, and reward the first few reps extra in each new setup. If you want a harder version, spread the toys farther apart or add more of them.
If Your Dog starts dropping toys next to the bin instead of in it, that is the aiming slipping, not defiance. Go back to a closer, easier rep, reward a clean drop into the bin, and build the distance up again.