How To Teach A Dog To Fetch
Training Your Dog To Fetch
Some dogs inherently know how to fetch a ball, while others love to chase the ball, but take no joy in returning the ball. Your dog’s breed and natural instincts both contribute to your dog’s ability or desire to play fetch. Sporting dogs for instance are natural fetchers and can practically teach themselves this dog trick. Terriers, on the contrary, can be more challenging, because they can be possessive of their toys and take no enjoyment in releasing them once they have retrieved them. Dogs that have no desire to chase or to fetch a ball may need to be trained in the art of fetching.
Most dogs, for the most part, will chase a ball that is thrown or rolled. Begin working on this concept with your dog. Roll the ball to your dog and then allow it to chase after it. Do not chase your dog while they have a ball until you have taught it how to fetch. Otherwise, your dog will believe that you want to play chase, as opposed to you having the dog return the ball to you.
You can handle the puppy toys, then return them to the dog in addition to teaching your dog to chase after toys. Once you have accomplished training your dog to retrieve toys, you can do the following:
• Have two objects that your dog loves to play with. Start encouraging your dog to play with tennis balls or Kong toys to get them used to having them in their mouth. Provide your dog with two toys that it enjoys. Encourage your dog to play with tennis balls or Kong toys, so that they get accustomed to the items being in its mouth.
• Bring your dog outside in a yard and have them sit beside you while you show the dog one of the toys or balls.
• Hold on to one ball while tossing the other one, letting it see where the ball lands.
• Give your dog the “Fetch” command once you see your dog go to retrieve the ball in its mouth.
• Once your dog retrieves the first ball, show it the second ball and give the “Release” command. Your dog will drop the first ball while trying to retrieve the second one from you. Give your dog praise for a job well done and then practice again.
• Many dogs work better when they are given a treat when they bring the ball back to you. Once your dog takes the treat, get the ball ready to throw again.
• Use a long leash to guide your dog if it appears that your dog is not catching on to the “Return” command.
Try not to pull or jerk the ball from the dog’s mouth or having the dog jump up high to retrieve it. A better idea is to begin throwing the ball again, once your dog is sitting, waiting calmly.
Observe your dog while teaching if fetch, so that you know when to cease training. Puppies can endure about three or four instances of fetch, while older dogs can fetch until you get tired.
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