ONLINE COURSE · LEVEL 2
Retrieve Dropped Items training course
Teach your dog to pick up keys, phones, pens and other things you drop, and put them right in your hand.
- TaskRetrieves dropped items to hand on cue
- Lessons4 · about 70 minutes
- Practiceabout 5 weeks
ABOUT THIS COURSE
Bending down can be hard or painful. In this course your dog learns to pick up items you drop, whatever their shape, and deliver them gently to your hand. You’ll start with an easy object, move to harder ones like keys and phones, and finish with a cue you can use anywhere.
Your dog should already know the Foundations skills. The Medication Retrieval course’s hold lesson is a helpful warm-up but not required.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
Lesson by lesson
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1
15 min
A gentle hold
Your dog holds a soft toy or rolled sock for 5 seconds without chewing.
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2
15 min
Pick it up from the floor
Your dog picks the item up from the floor and puts it in your hand from 3 feet away.
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3
20 min
Hard items: keys, phone, pen
Your dog retrieves keys, a phone in a case and a pen, 8 out of 10 times.
-
4
20 min
Anywhere you drop it
Your dog retrieves a dropped item in 3 different places, including one outside the home.
You'll log at least 10 practice sessions before signing your record.
WHO IT'S FOR
Handlers for whom bending down is hard or painful: back and joint conditions, chronic pain, fatigue, dizziness and more. Your dog should enjoy carrying things.
WHAT YOU GET
Proof of your work, wherever you go
Certificate of completion
With your dog's photo, your signature, the task trained and a QR code. Print it yourself or have us mail a printed copy.
Public training record
A page anyone can scan: the course, the task, your practice history and your signed declaration.
Wallet card
Your Training Record in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet — it updates itself when you refresh.
On your verification page
Registered with USAR? Your dog's verification page shows that you completed USAR training.
What you finish with
- A dog trained on a real task, step by step
- A practice log with optional video — the story of your work
- A signed training record with its own page and QR code
- A certificate of completion and a Wallet card
Where it helps
- Answering "what task does your dog do?" with confidence
- Showing a landlord or business your training history
- Keeping skills sharp with a yearly refresh
- Working alongside a local trainer if you use one
Handler-led training completed through a USAR online course and confirmed by the handler's signed declaration. Not observed in person by USAR.
FAQ
Questions handlers ask
What if my dog won't pick up metal keys?
Many dogs dislike metal. Lesson 3 shows how to add a leather or fabric tab and build up slowly.
Will my dog scratch my phone?
You'll teach a soft mouth from the start and practise with an old phone in a case first.
Can my dog bring things from the floor to me in a wheelchair?
Yes. Practise the delivery to hand at the height where your hand usually is.
What kind of certificate do I get?
A certificate of course completion for the task training you did with your dog — with your dog's photo, your signature and a QR code to your training record. The ADA doesn't require any certification for a service dog; what matters is that your dog is trained to do tasks for you, and that's exactly what the courses teach.
Can I train my own service dog?
Yes. Under the ADA, handlers may train their own service dog. What matters is that the dog is individually trained to perform tasks related to your disability and behaves appropriately in public. Our courses give you a structured plan for the task training part.
How long does a course take?
Most courses take a few weeks of short daily practice. Each course shows its lessons and the typical number of weeks. You go at your own pace — lessons stay open, and your practice log keeps track of your progress.
What do I get when I finish?
A signed training record with its own public page and QR code, and a certificate of course completion with your dog's photo and your signature. Members also get a Training ID card for Apple Wallet or Google Wallet; with a single course it's an optional add-on.
How does the membership work?
One payment ($79) gives you every course and level for a year, new courses as they come out, the Wallet card and the yearly refresh. It does not renew on its own. Before the year ends we email you: keep it going for $29.99/year if you want, or let it end.
MORE COURSES
Other tasks you can train
Level 1
Service Dog Foundations
Task: Foundation skills: focus on handler, settle on a mat, loose-leash walking and calm public manners
The core skills every working dog needs before task training: focus, a solid settle, loose-leash walking and calm public manners.
Level 2
Deep Pressure Therapy
Task: Deep pressure therapy on cue
Teach your dog to lie across your lap or chest on cue and apply calming pressure during anxiety or sensory overload.
Level 2
Medication Retrieval
Task: Retrieves medication pouch on cue
Teach your dog to find and bring a medication pouch to you on cue, from another room.
Start Retrieve Dropped Items today
Self-paced lessons, a practice log and a signed training record when you finish.