Object Discrimination

Teaching object discrimination is teaching your dog to learn the words to objects.  There is a Border Collie that knows over 1000 words, but you won’t need that many.  Your dog probably already knows a number of words, like sit, stay, come and down.  Now you’re going to teach words to identify objects.  An easy word to teach is cookie.  Show your dog a cookie and say cookie.  Now take a toy and teach him put it on the ground and say the name of the toy.  I start with stuffed animals.  Every time he touches the toy or picks it up, say the name of the toy.  So, if you have a stuffed pig, say “pig”.  Now put down two toys.  Don’t give a name yet to the new toy but say “pig” and if he goes to the pig, give a treat.  If he doesn’t, wait until he goes to the pig and say pig, then yes.  After he’s proficient in “pig” give a name to the other toy “duck”.  Train duck the same way you trained pig.   Now put them both down and say pig.  If he goes to the pig, praise and if he doesn’t wait until he does, then praise but don’t give the treat.  When he recognizes the names of 2 objects, add a third and repeat.

This will be good for bringing you your phone and not your keys, etc.