An Easy Way To Teach Your Dog To Fetch

Do you want to teach your beautiful dog to fetch? Remember, when training your puppy to fetch, it is important to know where in the learning curve your puppy currently lies.

If you haven't done this already, try it. When you toss a toy does your puupy does he / she:

A) lay there looking at you like "oh no, you didn't just throw that and expect me to get it, did you?"
B) Run after it, but then leaves it there to go do something else?
C) Runs and grabs it, but then plays keep away?

Using the previous list, you are aware of exactly how your puppy reacts to you throwing their ball; you can now endevor to teach them their new and improved behavior.

Before you begin, here are a few pointers for teaching a dog any new behavior.

1) Use The k.i.s.s. (keep it simple stupid) method - When training your puppy a new behavior, use the "crawl before you walk" analogy. In otherwords, if you're trying to teach your dog to catch a frisbee, the first step would be to get him / her interested in the frisbee

2) Constrain Possiblities - For instance, while training your dog to lay down, it is best to start with them seating.

3) Minimize Distrations- When possible, teach your dog new behaviors in the comofort of a familiar setting before doing so in public.

On To Fetching
If your dog fell under "C" above you need to teach them to come back to you. I like using the "clap and reward" system. Here's how it works.

1. Stand next to your dog and clap. Each time you clap, give your dog a training treat.

2. Repeat this until your dog "knows" they'll get a treat after you clap. Be sure to pause occasionally so that it is clear that the clap results in a treat

3. Have your dog sit or lie down and take a few steps away

4. Tell your dog to "come here" and give a single clap

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until your dog consistenly stays and then comes to your clap.

Now is the time to start the fetching. I recommend you start in a narrow hallway or in a dog run.

1. Have your dog sit and stay

2. Present the toy you wish them to fetch and speak in an excited tone in order to build their interest

3. Once your dog seems excited, throw the toy no more than 10 or 15 feet.

4. Begin to walk in the direction opposite from the direction your dog is running

5a. If your dog picks up the toy and runs away from you, tell your dog to come here and give a clap. When your dog is about 5 feet away clap again. this should cause him / her to drop the toy.

5b. If your dog likes to pick up the toy and then runs right past you with it, clap as soon as they are within 5 feet of you.

6. Step 5 will eventually cause your dog to drop the toy in favor of the treat. Throw the treat several feet away from the toy, and as your dog goes to pick up the treat, pick up the toy

7. Repeat these steps gradually removing claps and treats until your dog fetches naturally. Be sure to reward them with affection when they get it right!