Puppy Training Part 5 - Five Basic Plus Four Advanced Strategies On How to Teach A Dog To "Fetch"

A really good command to teach your do is 'fetch'. It is a great way to play and for exercise at the same time as you are reinforcing good listening. Puppies = energy, so having fun ways to burn it up is essential so that their energy is not expended in inappropriate or undesirable ways.

Any dog, almost regardless of age, will love to chase a ball, in particular a tennis ball. You might think you are not really 'teaching' this skill, that the dog just does it naturally. But intervention from you can actually improve your puppy's behavior.

Leader Of The Pack

Game 1: After you throw the tennis ball your dog begins to bark, runs round, chases the ball, barks again at the ball, gets it in its mouth, runs round some more, drops it, again gets it in its mouth, comes back to you, and you have to try to tug the ball out of its mouth. All good fun.

Game 2: You throw ball. Your puppy runs straight to ball. Your puppy picks up ball. Your puppy runs back to you. Your puppy drops ball at your feet.

To my way of thinking, Game 2 is what we're about in dog training. The first is fun, sure, but in this scenario basically your dog is 'leader of the pack' and liable to do as it pleases when it pleases. This is not how we like it as responsible dog owners. We want Game 2 action where we and the dog are both controlled in behavior. Ultimately this means more fun for everyone.

Where To Begin

1. Get down on the ground with ball in one hand (or a stick, perhaps). Have a treat in the other.
2. Just roll the ball such a short distance that you can pick it up again.
3. Persuade your puppy to fetch the ball.
4. After he picks up the ball, get it from its mouth and pat him on the head and praise him.
5. When you have taken the ball from him, give him a treat.

If for some reason you have trouble getting the ball from the dog, entice him with a treat. When he drops the ball to get the treat praise him and let him have the treat.

Carry out these first steps a number of times every day for a week or so.

Moving On

1. Get down on the ground or floor with the dog's ball in one hand and treat in the other.
2. Throw the ball just a little way, but not so far that you cannot reach it easily.
3. Persuade the pup to get the ball.
4. After your puppy picks the ball up, get it from his mouth and say 'thank you'. Then give him a treat.

In quite a short time, perhaps a few weeks, your dog will come to see that you want them to give you the ball because of the words 'thank you.'

To find out more about increasing the distance for fetching, dropping the ball, and getting your puppy to fully understand the "Fetch" command, as well as receiving a FREE 7 part Puppy Training Course on all aspects of dog training visit my website at The Dog Training Academy. My address: http://www.paul-the-trainer.com/

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