Chasing and catching something is a natural instinct for dogs. In fact, some dogs already know how to play fetch without having any sort of training. My dog Knut did this when we started throwing toys for him. Most dogs, however, need to learn this game of fetch.
If your dog doesn’t know the game, here’s how you can train them:
Going after the toy
Some dogs don’t even go after a toy when their owner throws it. If your dog just sits there and has no interest in getting the ball, here’s what you can try.
- Be encouraging. Encourage them to get the toy by saying things like, “Get your toy!”.
- Be playful with them, while you’re trying to encourage them. Wiggle the toy gently around their face and snout. Hold the toy out, and run with it in your hand to see if your dog will be interested in following you.
- Once one of these steps work for you and your dog, reward them with a treat and praise.
- Practice this a few more times until they get the hang of it.
If your dog has absolutely no interest in playing at all, that’s okay. Some dogs just do not like to play whatsoever. That’s how a dog of mine is.
Bringing it back
Once you’ve gotten your dog interested, or your dog just likes chasing their toy, it’s time to work on bringing the toy back to you.
- Try throwing the toy a short distance away, like 6ft.
- Once they get the toy, have a treat ready and try calling your dog back to you. This can be done by saying, “Come here” or “Bring your toy back”.
- This will take a lot of encouragement and work, but just be patient.
- Once they finally listen to you and come to you, reward them with a treat and praise!
- Keep working on this until they understand to come back each time you toss their toy. Then you can begin to increase the distance.
Giving it back
When you’ve covered them bringing their toy back towards you, now it’s time for them to actually give it back to you so the game can continue. If your dog is already dropping their toy in front of you, that’s great! If they’re still holding it in their mouth, there are a few things to try.
- First, you can try to gently grab the toy from them.
- If this works, make sure to reward them. If it doesn’t work, and they resist or start to run away, here’s what you can try next.
- You can try to distract them with another toy. When they drop the toy, reward them.
- Keep practicing this method. Once they get the hang of it, let them try giving the toy back without using a distraction toy.
With lots of practice and patience, you and your best friend will be playing fetch in no time!
