Bringing a dog home can bring about great joy and happiness. But in no time, you will realize that there are responsibilities that you need to take on. Other than feeding your dog and getting the vaccines at the correct time, you have one more essential task as a pet owner. It is to teach your dog to fetch, and that is a necessary skill that you need to let them learn. You should start slow with it, and that is never the problem. The objective is to give your dog the necessary training.

 Teaching the dog the way to fetch
Few dogs love playing fetch. Some dogs don’t take much interest in the toys and aren’t inclined naturally to get the toys back when it’s thrown to some point. On the other hand, there are retrievers for whom the game takes place naturally. On the other hand, there are other dogs, for this idea of fetching might seem very foreign.

Similarly, rescue dogs might need to gain the relevant experience of playing with the puppies and be made aware of all that they can do with the toy. Fetch is the game most people wish to play with their dog, and it can get a tad bit frustrating when you throw the toy, and the dog can sit and watch you. They watch where you throw the toy and then fetch it back. Even though the fetch doesn’t arrive naturally, with each dog, you need to teach your dog the required skill.

Therefore, every dog owner must know how to teach a dog to fetch to get his or her dogs trained well. And in case there is a need for it, you should consider getting in touch with a dog trainer so that they can get trained adequately for the same.

 The supplies that you need
Before you teach your dog how to fetch, you will require a few supplies. A few of the essential tools that you will need here include the following:

• Toys – When you have decided to teach your dog how to fetch, it is necessary to make a wide selection of toys available. It will let you know the type of toys the dog will like. A few of the dogs are ball lovers, while the others want to choose plush toys. On the other hand, when toys don’t motivate your dog, mainly because it is a rescue dog, you probably need to think about this slightly differently. And it might be helpful to come across toys with a Velcro compartment so that you can place the food there, which can be effective. Some pet owners have used attractive fur pencil pouches that get filled using smelly treats for teaching dogs how to fetch, more so when they don’t wish to push anything in their mouth.

• Treats – If you wish to teach the dog how to fetch, you will need ample pieces of high-end treats. Every time your dog brings the stick or the item is thrown, you need to give him a treat acknowledging his effort. This will make the dog more efficient.

• Clicker – On the other hand, when you use the clicker to train the dog, chances are you will have it almost ready. The clicker training can be beneficial to enable you to interact with the dog in the initial stages of teaching them the trick.

Here are two crucial steps that you need to consider when you are teaching the dog how to fetch:

 Teaching them to hold
The initial step for training the dog how to fetch is to let them know how to hold. Here’s what you need them to know or need to do:

• It would help if you sat on the floor as the dog faced you while keeping the toy to show the same to the dog.

• When the dog moves to investigate you, you should praise it and offer a treat. Here the reward will add extra interest to the game.

• It would help if you waited until the dog sniffed the toy, and then you could praise it. After that, you should click/praise and treat as they put the treat in their mouth on the toy. After that, you have to maximize the criteria.

• As the dog is regularly putting its mouth on the toy, you will have to start developing the duration to the trick by not instantly praising or clicking the instant she places her mouth on the toy and waiting for the moment, as the mouth is still on a treat and toy click. After that, you have to develop this very slowly just by adding half-second before you get to praise and treat. You have to go very slowly, and that will pay off later. As the dog keeps their mouth on the toy constantly, for a few seconds before the click and treat, you can introduce a specific verbal cue such as “hold.”

• The moment the dog starts to keep the mouth on the toy till you praise or click and treat, it is possible for you to start getting more time. It would help if you moved in very slowly, thereby developing fractions for one second. It is possible to begin moving the hand away from the toy and placing it back on it before the dog drops it. It would help if you praised, took the object, and doled out the treat.

• Ensure the dog is successful by working at its pace and building the specific time needed. It is better for several repetitions, and the dog can learn about it.

 The process of teaching the fetch
The moment the dog has learned all about the “hold,” you need to teach about the fetch. It is here that your dog gets to learn about the tactic and then master it gradually. Here’s all that you need to do for the dog to understand the process of fetching better:

• When the dog takes the toy, you should praise and treat it. And in case she doesn’t take the toy, it’s also fine. It would help if you held the toy to the dog with the outstretched palm and gently asked them for “holding.” Perhaps, you have to teach them to hold the skill slightly more.

• As and when the dog is successfully taking the toy from the outstretched hand, go ahead and place the toy right in front of the floor. You can ask the dog to hold the toy. And the moment she picks the toy, you can instantly click and praise her. It is here that developing the “hold” clue will play an essential part when they learn a brand-new skill. Here you might work towards letting them respond to the verbal cues, such as “fetch” or “get it.”

• As the dog consistently picks up the toy and holds the same, you need to move slightly away from you. You can start with the toy that you have placed beside you.

• You have to maximize the distance and the challenge away from you slowly. It is applicable when the toy is located a few inches away. Here the objective is to break down the concerned retrieve small behavior so that the dog can succeed, rather than getting started with a toy beside you. You can move the same across the yard instantly. It can be too much for the dog to learn this new skill.

• It is excellent to vary the toy you suggest your dog fetch. It would help if you kept maximizing the distance you want your dog to go to get the toy. When the dog understands the game better, it can start to alternate by asking the dog to avail the toy you kept away from you and also throwing the same. Hence, it is always good to practice with rope toys, plush toys, and balls.

• When you carry on to develop the business very slowly and ensure that the dog gets rewards, it is possible to create significant value in the retrieve and hold game.

• Also, when you encourage consistent practice and patience, the ultimate skill will have a smooth cue for retrieving any toy. It would help if you remembered that for the dogs, it is essential to teach them how to fetch and provide rewards to let them know that they are doing good. Rewarding the dog with treats is an integral part of the process.

These are a few ways to teach your dog how to fetch so that they can learn the tactics well and get better at it. You might fail in one go. And for that, you must get in touch with a dog training expert who will guide you through the process and ensure that your benefit from it.

A fit and active dog is way more attractive than one obese and lazy. Dogs, by nature, are hyperactive animals that love to play different games, and fetch is one of their favorites. Keep your dog happy and playful by playing a game of fetch every day.