Playing fetch is a great way to have fun with your dog and exercise him at the same time. If you’re lucky, your dog plays fetch naturally, but few dogs intrinsically understand the concept of retrieving.
Some dogs will chase after the toy but then won’t bring it back, while others simply look at you with a confused expression, wondering why you repeatedly throw the toy away.
Helping your dog learn to love retrieving can be as simple as finding a toy he really likes or as complex as training the entire sequence of chasing, picking up and bringing back the toy.
Dogs can be very particular about the toys they’ll play fetch with. Some prefer a tennis ball, others a Frisbee. Still others are happiest with a plain old stick.
Experiment with different toys and see which ones excite your dog the most. Avoid small or smooth balls that he could swallow, and don’t pick something edible, like rawhide.
If the Frisbee is your dog’s favorite fetch toy, buy one specially made for dogs. Frisbees made for humans are hard enough to chip a dog’s teeth.
If your dog doesn’t like to put toys in his mouth, try soaking a plush toy or a tennis ball in chicken stock or stuffing an old sock with treats.
This will entice him to taste the toy, and you can reward him for this by giving him a treat. He’ll soon figure out that putting the toy in his mouth pleases you to no end, and then you can start teaching him to fetch it.
For dogs who really don’t grasp the concept of chasing after toys at all, you need to start with the basics.
If your dog likes to play tug-of-war, teach him to go get a fetch toy so that you can play tug with it.
Start by playing a short game of tug with a soft toy that your dog likes to tug on. Then take the toy from his mouth, tease him a bit by wiggling it on the ground, and toss it just a few inches away.
If your dog runs to the toy, immediately snatch it up and start another fun game of tug. If he just stands there and looks at the toy you’ve thrown, reach out and wiggle it around on the floor again until he finds it irresistible.
As soon as he goes for it, toss it another few inches away. Continue doing this until your dog chases after the toy. When he does, you can reward him with another quick tug game.
Soon he’ll reliably chase the toy when you toss it, and you can start throwing it greater distances. Encourage your dog to come back to you by reaching for the toy in his mouth and tugging on it.
When he gets the idea that bringing the toy back to you leads to a tugging battle, he’ll be eager to run and fetch the toy. Once you start throwing it a few feet, it’s helpful to turn and run away as your dog comes toward you with the toy.
This will encourage him to run faster and chase you. When he catches up to you, play tug with the toy. Eventually, you won’t have to play tug every single time your dog fetches the toy, but be sure to do so intermittently to keep him eager to play.
On the other hand, if it’s treats that your dog likes, you can teach him to fetch a toy for the promise of a yummy tidbit. Show him the toy and toss it a few inches away.
Even if he only watches the toy at first, praise him and give him a treat. After three or four repetitions of this, encourage him to chase after the toy. As he takes a step or two toward it, praise and give him a treat. Repeat this three or four times.
Next, toss the toy and see if he’ll sniff it or put his mouth on it. If he doesn’t, touch it yourself—wiggle it a bit.
The instant your dog moves his mouth toward the toy, praise and reward him with a treat. Ask for a little bit more from him each time, until he’s actually picking up the toy.
When he does, go wild with your praise, and give him a small handful of treats. At this point, he’ll think that the toy is pretty interesting, so try tossing it farther.
Encourage him to come back to you when he’s got the toy in his mouth. Some dogs have to learn that they can actually walk and hold something at the same time, so be patient.
If your dog drops the toy, say “Uh-uh, get the toy,” and point to it. He’ll figure out that the only way to earn his reward is to bring the toy to you, so he’ll either stop dropping it or he’ll go back and get it when he does drop it.
Once your dog learns the fetch game, he might enjoy it enough that you won’t need to give him treats each time he brings the toy back, but in the beginning, be sure to praise and reward him for every fetch.
If your dog loves to chase and pick up the fetch toy but isn’t keen on bringing it back to you, try the bait-and-switch game with two identical toys. Show your dog one of the toys.
Get him excited, throw it and encourage him to fetch it. When he picks it up, call him, then show him the other toy, and act as though you’re going to throw it in the opposite direction.
He’ll probably drop the first toy and come running to chase after the second one. While he’s chasing that one, go pick up the first toy and repeat the sequence. This exercise will get your dog used to picking up a toy and turning to run back to you.
Here’s the next step: Call him when he’s picked up the first toy, but don’t show him the second one right away. Hopefully, he’ll turn and run back to you while still holding the first toy in his mouth.
When he gets close to you, say “Drop it.” Then show him the second toy. He’ll drop the first toy in order to chase after the second one. Now you won’t have to walk so far to pick up the toy he drops.
This game will be easy for your dog to learn and can really tire him out. Eventually, your dog will probably figure out that he should spit out the ball he has when you say “Drop it.”
At that point, you can try just picking up the ball he’s dropped at throwing that. This final step will eliminate the need for a second ball.