This is one of the easiest games to play with your dog, but it still requires some training. Once your dog has mastered this skill they can move on to other games such as finding a specific object when asked or cleaning up their toys. Here are the steps to teaching your dog to play fetch. You will need a ball (or other favorite toy) and treats.
- Make sure you have your dog’s attention. Once they are focused on the toy, toss it a few feet away, saying “fetch!”
- Once they have the toy in their mouth, tell them to come, crouching down and holding out a hand. Have a treat ready in your other hand.
- When they have returned to you, praise them and exchange the treat for their toy. It needs to seem like a fair trade, or else they won’t want to drop the toy. Don’t try to pull the toy away, or they’ll want to play tug-of-war instead of dropping the toy. Make sure they drop or into your hand rather than on the ground.
Each time you throw the ball, you can toss it a bit farther. Once your dog has mastered the basic game of fetch, try it somewhere with a few more obstacles, such as a log to jump over or bushes to weave through.
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