A great way to built trust and show your dog that they want to be near you and keep an eye on you is to play! Here are five steps to teaching your dog how to fetch.
Ready, set, go!
1. Pick a Toy
To start with pick a toy your puppy likes the most: motivating them in the beginning of training is very important. And keep in mind that some dogs learn to fetch a lot quicker, natural retrievers learn it the fastest, because retrieving is in their dna but some other breeds need more time to understand to name of the game.
2. Grabbing
First get the puppy excited about grabbing the toy. Throw a toy and encourage the puppy to grab it with excited gestures. When they do grab the toy, reward instantly with affection. This part often comes naturally.
3. Bringing
When your pup learns to grab the toy, lure them back to you. If they know the "come" command use that or lure them with another toy or a treat. If you want, teaching the "bring" command can be useful. First start right next to the dog and ask them to bring the toy, then move further. Letting go is the easiest to practice with a treat so they'll naturally let go of the toy to grab the treat.
4. Getting Close
If your pup likes to keep the toy, try using a long toy such as a rope. Throw the other end, use "come" or "bring" command and pull them close. Then reward with affection or a treat as they come closer.
5. All the Way
If the dog drops the toy before reaching you, try using "come" or "bring" command and backing up a bit. When they come closer, meet them and reward.
Work on one step at a time until the dog gets it and Have Fun!
