How to Train Your Dog to Bring Your Slippers

Of all the tricks you could teach your dog, training him to fetch your slippers has to be one of the most iconic. Imagine how nice it would be to come home from a hard day at work, kick back in the recliner, and have your pup bring your slippers to you. This "trick" is, in essence, a version of fetch. The big difference is your dog must learn what item it is you wish for him to fetch rather than simply tossing a ball a telling him to bring it to you.

It does, however, count on the fact you have already taught your dog the basic "fetch" command. To make this trick successful, you must be prepared to work with your dog to teach him a new world, "slippers." Once he knows what this word means, he can be taught to bring your slippers to you in a relatively short period of time.

The best way to define this task is to say that you are simply adding to your dog's vocabulary along with his ability to do more for you on command. Although this particular chore is, in the great scheme of things, more about fun than practical, it does have a more practical side for those with medical issues that might make getting your own slippers challenging.

You can teach this simple trick to just about any dog, no matter their age. The most important thing to remember however is that your dog needs to be big enough to carry your slippers. Like most commands, this one is relatively simple, all you need is something like "Fetch my slippers" the idea being to take the basic "fetch" command and add in what you want your pup to fetch. It's even easier to teach your dog this trick if he already knows how to fetch.

Teaching your dog to fetch your slippers doesn't require much in the way of actual supplies, but here is a short list of things you will need:

• Treats: to reward your pup for obeying your commands without destroying your slippers.

• Patience: you can never have too much of this when trying to teach your pup a new trick.

• Peace and quiet: again, you can never have too much of this when trying to teach your dog a new trick.

• An old pair of slippers: starting out with an old pair of slippers gives your pup time to learn his new trick without destroying your good slippers.