Wednesday, November 23, 2011

How to Teach Your Dog to Fetch

By Dirk Gruenberg


Having your dog fetch things for you is not only great exercise for him, but it's also a good playtime experience for the both of you.

However, dogs need to be trained to fetch things; they are not born knowing how to do so. So it is up to you to teach him. But it is really not too difficult. All you need to do is follow a few simple steps:

You should start off with teaching your dog two simpler commands: "Go" and "come". These will be important for the fetching exercise. So put some more work into those two, before moving on to the actual fetch command.

So, let's get started: simply take your dog's favorite toy and toss it a few feet from where you two are standing. Then tell your dog to go. It is important to go about this in small increments (distance wise). DO not throw the object too far.

When he brings it back, pat and praise him. If he doesn't want to give up the toy on her own, offer him a small treat as a reward for letting it go. You may need to train him to release on command, so choose a word like "drop" or "thanks" to cue her to let go.

The next step is to simply increase the distance you throw the toy. Do so slowly and gradually, and only move on to longer distances after the previous one has been mastered. And always keep in mind: the more you keep reinforcing your dog with praise and treats, the more he will enjoy it all.

If he does not do well, though, do not chase him. Just wait for him to come back. If you chase him, he might think of that as another game, which could cause confusion.

So if he does not obey, just take it easy. Wait until he does, and then praise him generously. After all, you should keep in mind that this is a learning process. Some dogs are fast learners and others get distracted more easily. DO not put too much pressure on your dog, to get it right. Chances are, over time he will.

As always, you will need to be consistent and, most importantly, patient. If you can do that, you will be amazed how fast your dog will learn to fetch just about anything.




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