My dog Lally learned to fetch from an ex-boyfriend’s dog. She watched him chasing a ball around the yard and soon started chasing it herself! You don’t need a dog to lead by example, though, in order to teach your dog to fetch.
Teaching your dog to fetch will probably be easiest if your dog already likes carrying things in his or her mouth. But that isn’t a requirement!
- Tell your dog to sit. If your dog doesn’t know how to sit yet, you can teach him that first.
- Bring a toy a few steps away from where the dog is sitting. Leave it where he can see it.
- Tell your dog to find the toy with whatever command you’ve chosen — “go get it” or “fetch” or simply “toy!”
- If your dog goes to the toy — even if he doesn’t touch it — praise him immediately.
- Repeat so your dog gets the idea that going to the toy (when asked) is a good thing.
When your dog finally takes the toy into his mouth, praise him and give him a treat — and then give back the toy and play for a bit. This will teach your dog that you aren’t just going to take they toy away from him. If you always take the toy away, he won’t want to bring it to you!
Once your dog understands the idea of toy in mouth, it’s time to work on the last part — bringing the toy back to you.
- Have your dog sit.
- Place the toy a few steps away where he can see it.
- Tell him to go get it.
- Once the toy is in his mouth, call him to you.
- Praise the dog when he brings it near you.
- After a while, praise the dog only when he brings it to your hand. (It may help if you trade the toy for a treat.)
This can take time — don’t expect your dog to instantly understand that he’s supposed to get the toy and bring it to you. Be patient and have fun! Remember to reward the good stuff — positive reinforcement will make you BOTH eager to keep practicing. Keep the training sessions short and sweet and finish off with a trick your dog already knows. End the time on a high note, and you’ll both look forward to next time.