How do I teach my dog to play fetch?
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My dog has the chasing part down, but how do I teach him to return the ball to me?Hi @Myname5james, what a great question. Fetch seems like a simple game, but it is not as easy as one might think. As you mentioned, there are two main parts: chasing the ball and bringing it back. One way to train your pup to bring the ball back is to give him a verbal reward when he picks up the ball. You may need to teach him this and give him a treat when he picks it up at first. Then, call him back to you, and when he comes to you, give him a treat. When I trained my dog, I started this part very close to him, just a couple of feet. Then, I gradually increased the distance as he became more confident in it. One thing I also did was run with him at first because he was reluctant to do that part. Another family member stood across the yard and gave him a treat when we made it to them. Another big thing is to teach your pup the drop command so he drops the ball when he comes back to you. You can do this by saying “drop” and then offering a treat when he drops the ball. Once your pup has the game down, you can reserve the treats for the end of your play session. The fun and thrill of chasing the ball and seeing your excitement are reward enough, and you don’t want him to pack on excess weight.
This all happens in steps. Work on each part until he gets it down, then move to the next. Eventually, all the parts will fit together, and your pup will be a master of fetch! We have a step-by-step guide on how to teach your dog to fetch that might help. You may also like some of these low-calorie dog treats so that you can keep your pup healthy and still offer tasty rewards. Best of luck, and I’d love to hear back about how your pup does on this next part of the game.
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