Training a Puppy to Fetch – How to Teach Your Puppy to Fetch
Posted by Sarah in Dog Advice Tips, tags: fetch, how to, puppy, trainingWhen you get a new puppy, spending time playing with them is very important. It teaches them the rules of your “pack” and establishes guidelines on acceptable behavior and puppies love to play! Training a puppy to fetch is not only an easy game for them to learn, it will eventually provide hours of entertainment for both of you over the years. Puppies have a short attention span so initially training will likely only last about 10 to 15 minutes before you should move on to other games.
First, get a toy the puppy likes to play with, something soft like a ball or rope with a knot in one end – something they can chew on and yet can easily be tossed. Don’t used edible things such as rawhides or bones or even sticks. When you are training a puppy to fetch, using something edible will only teach them to fetch and eat. Start training indoors, so there are few distractions and you can keep the puppy focused on the game. Try to limit distracting elements while you teach them. Toss the toy a few feet away saying the command word “fetch”; when the puppy brings it back praise him/her with lots of pats on the head and vocal encouragement. Do not try and take the toy away as it will encourage the puppy to engage in tug-of-war and not fetch.
When the puppy has returned and has been rewarded for returning, tell your puppy to “drop” the item in a clear but non-threatening voice. This will establish this as a command word. Again, when they are successful at doing what you ask, praise them a lot! You can offer a doggy treat for good behavior too, but verbal positive reinforcement works just as well – although sometimes offering treats can be done as a “trade” for the puppy to drop the toy. Do not chase the puppy if they do not bring it back. This only creates a new game and defeats the purpose of training a puppy to fetch.
When training a puppy to fetch, varying the types of rewards you give can also be very effective, so the puppy understands a variety of different rewards are possible for good behavior. Command words are also important to establish during training. Puppies can easily recognize a variety of single word commands and helps you communicate.
