How To Train Your Dog To Play Fetch

by Casey Swells

Most dog owners love their dogs very much. If you're like any other dog owner, you will likely want to have as good a relationship with your dog as possible. Something that really strenghtens the bond between you and your doggy, is playing fetch.There are dogs that play fetch without having to go through training. Other dogs don't understand it when you're waving a ball around in their face. For this last group of dogs, a small investment of time and energy is required. Below, I describe three steps of training your dog to play fetch with you.1. To start with, your dog needs to learn to pay attention to the ball. If it isn't even paying attention to it, you can forget about the rest of the fetch play. You need to hold the ball in front of your dog's eyes and nose. Whenever he pays any attention to the ball, by sniffing it for example, you need to praise him. Keep this up long enough, and your dog will start paying more attention to the ball and follow it around.2. After your doggy learns paying attention to the ball, he needs to learn to pick it up. Should your doggy pick up the ball all by himself, simply continue petting and praising him. If your doggy doesn't pick up the ball by himself, smear some peanut butter or meat paste on there. Then, every time he picks up the ball, continue praising him and give him a dog treat.3. After your dog knows how to follow a ball and pick it up, it's time that he learns he needs to take it back to you and drop it. You can do this by throwing the ball ten feet away until your dog follows it and then picks it up. Now you call him and show him a dog treat in your hand. This will make him run back to you with the ball still in his mouth. He will probably drop the ball in order to make place for the dog treat.After you have gone through these simple steps, you are ready for a few small scale experiments. Throw the ball a short distance and say "Fetch!". If the dog doesn't go after the ball, you should try throwing it closer, or handing it to him again. When he does it correctly, make sure to treat and praise him.If you stick to these simple training steps, your doggy should learn to play fetch in a matter of days or weeks. In time, your doggy will likely gain a better understanding of what playing fetch is all about. The game then becomes its own reward and you won't have to stock up on dog treats anymore.Everybody knows that a dog is a man's best friend. They're great companions and they will always show you unconditional love. Make sure you return the favor by teaching them how to play with you. There's nothing better than playing with your dog to increase the quality of the relationship you have with him!

About the Author:

Casey Swells owns many dogs. He writes a lot about dogs too! You can read all about it at his website dog disease or at dog training.