A Guide to Teaching Fetch: Dogs

Have you ever heard the phrase "you cannot teach an old dog new tricks?" Well, that myth has been proven wrong! Old dogs CAN learn new tricks, and you can learn how to teach them or your dog of any age how to play fetch and other activities with patience and a few methods of positive reinforcement. Keep reading to find more information on how to teach a dog to play fetch.

A few materials you will need to start:

-Your pet’s favorite toy OR tennis ball.

-A small space with close walls.

-Lots of training treats.

When teaching your dog a new trick, it is important to note that the process will not be a “snap of the finger” learning activity. You will need plenty of patience to suffice for both you and your pup. The use of your voice will allow them to stay calm - your dog mirrors your tone and behavior with their own behavior. Beware of becoming discouraged with your pet, as they are easily embarrassed just as us humans are. 

Now lets get started. 

Method 1: 

Grab your pet’s favorite toy or tennis ball. If interested, you could purchase or grab a treat-holding toy with velcro so that your dog can track the smell of the treat strapped inside of the toy. As your dog smells the treat, they will connect you with getting treats after fetching the toy. 

Have the treat bag by your side and catch the attention of your dog with the toy, while also using your voice to keep them calm. The two stimuli will distract the dog from the treats, while they keep focussed on the ball or toy (If your dog is not fond of toys, start out by rewarding them for even acknowledging the throw of the toy with their eyes. This is where the velcro toy may come into play).

Once you have your dog’s attention, reward them with a treat. And reclaim their attention back on the toy. You should now be able to throw the ball or toy with your dog interested and/or fetching the ball. Make sure to reward your dog with praise just as much or even more with your voice as you do with treats. Be sure not to overfeed your pet - eventually, they can fetch without the need for a treat. And soon, you will be able to throw the toy or tennis ball from farther and farther away. 

Method 2: 

If the first method does not work out, there is another option known as the ‘Bait & Switch’ method. This method also includes the use of positivity in your voice, but also, instead of one toy, there will be two toys. “Bait & Switch” is designed to train your dog to run back to you as they see the toys being thrown one at a time. 

You will need the same small space. As your dog gets better, you will be able to move back further as time and practice goes by. Have both of the toys on your side. Catch your dog’s attention with one toy, reward if and only if your pet’s attention is on the toy. Once it is, you should throw the toy. If you would like to add a word to your throw feel free to. Dogs are able to associate words with actions with repetition. Once your dog fetches the toy, you can shake the treat bag. But only reward them with a treat if they bring back the toy, because you may reinforce the dog to do the something for treats that is not what you want them to do, which could lead to you becoming discouraged.

Always remember not to scold your pet during training time. Secondly, remember to always positively reinforce the behavior that you enjoy, with treats, your voice, pets, or play. Finally, never forget that your dog, as well as you and us, are learning machines. This task can take days, weeks, or months depending on the breed of your dog. Happy fetching!

Written by: Jasmine Woodings

References:

Sundance, K. (September 2011). “The 10-minute dog training games.” Quarry Books.

Sundance, K & Chalcy. (March 2007). “101 dog tricks.” Quarry Books. 

Gordon, J.(April 2012). “The positive dog: A story about the power of positivity.” Wiley. 

Patterdale, S. (March 2024). “How to teach your dog fetch.” American Kennel Club. 

Editorial, C. (November 2023). “How to teach your dog fetch: A step-by-step guide.” Be Chewy.

Contributor, E. (March 2023). “How to teach a dog fetch.” WebMD. how to train a dog to fetch