A fun way to stimulate your dog mentally and to keep your dog in shape is to teach your dog to fetch. Training your dog to can be an exciting challenge for you and your dog. Chasing things or toys is a delight for most dogs. In most dogs, with their natural talents that may be based on their breed or their natural instincts to hunt, your furry pal will most likely chase or run after something. However, some dogs may need a little or a smidge push to achieve that.
Unfortunately, not all dogs grasp the concept of bringing back the item or even letting go of the objects out of their mouths. Try teaching from the little steps, and if you are patient enough, you and your dog will be happily playing fetch in your yard, or even in the park!
Before starting on training, here’s a quick recap of things you should know. Start with basic commands. Before starting on more complicated tricks, work your way from basic commands. Always be patient. Trees do not grow ripe fruits overnight, or neither does crops. This command may seem easy to teach, but this one may take time and yes, patience.
Be knowledgeable about what motivates your dog in your training sessions. Is your dog motivated when it is given a treat after a desirable action when it is petted or praised, or given a reward? Also, dogs do not understand languages, so they rely on your tone of voice and body language. Repetition is the key but make sure to limit a dog training session up to 15 minutes.
Remember, dogs have limited attention span especially puppies. Always and always end a session on a positive note. Moreover, in these training sessions, you may need a little help from items that you can easily find and also your dog is comfortable with such as a stick, a ball or a Frisbee.
Playing fetch is a fun way for owners and dogs to bond. To sum up it up, the owner picks an object, creates a little distance from its owner and throws it in a range that the owner thinks the dog could be able to retrieve it. Then the dog recognizes the ball, stick, frisbee, or a toy runs for it and retrieves it back to the owner. In this article, we are going to tell you about how to do that trick.
However, there is another method called backchaining. It is said to be a series of steps to teach behaviors that start from the last step working to the first one instead of the traditional progressing steps. In back-chaining, the od is first shown how to drop the ball on your hand.
Then, the dog is taught how to approach you while carrying the ball. Then, it will be explained how to pick up the item where you threw it. Your dog will then be trained how to run after the object or item that you threw. Lastly, your dog will be taught how to wait for the toy or object to be thrown.
It is said that backchaining could help dogs find the processes of dog training easier and less overwhelming. It helps the dog by breaking down the process into smaller bits and have small success or accomplishments for the dog.
As the dog slowly goes through the steps, its level of anticipation and wanting to participate more will increase. The same principle can be applied to teachers teaching children a new word. They break down the word until the student can pronounce it in its whole form.
Once your dog can master the ability to pick up and retrieving things or objects, it can be a fun way to spend time with you and your dog. If you feel like splurging some cash, you can buy toys such as an automatic ball launcher and others that can make fetch more tricky and fun for your dog.
Hopefully, these steps can guide you in training your dog on how to fetch and hopefully can make it easy and fun experience for you and your dog!
Step 1
Look for a toy that makes your dog motivated to chase. You can always go for the right old stick or if you have the tennis ball, or a Frisbee, or even a plush toy lying around. It is highly advisable to get the objects that have the smallest possibility of being ingested.
Whatever you would pick for your dog, make sure that the object chosen is safe and clean. You may have to see what your dog would react to the item. Your dog’s reaction may vary from one toy to the other. If it runs after the item excitedly from the moment you start to throw the item to the moment the object is in the air, this can be a good indication that your dog is excellent in fetch.
If you have none or if you feel like letting go of a few cash, they can be purchased in local shops near you. The internet is always open to saving you from your problems.
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Step 2
For most dogs, when you throw an object, they will chase it. Some dogs may just stare at the object and wonder why you would throw it, or will catch the object but won’t it return it. In these cases, determine what could motivate your dog or your puppy.
It can be appraisal, treats or a toy. Then use that item to encourage your dog to run after the object you want to be fetched. When it retrieves the item, immediately reward it. Then throw the item again and repeat the cycle. Repeat the cycle until it can be good at retrieving the item you threw.
If you want your furry friend to place the ball in front of you or on your palm, remember to show your hand openly with your palm flatly showing. In this manner, it can help your dog understand and achieve your expectations.
Some trainers say that to encourage your dog or puppy more, try holding it before throwing the item. They say your dog will try to be closer to you, and once you let go of your dog, it will run faster. They also say that they will try to stick close to you if you hold them before throwing the item if you encourage it verbally.
If your dog does not like catching items, try using a rope. Once your dog obtains the thing, pull it towards you, and this will encourage your dog to follow you. If it still does not come close to you, pull the rope closer, praise it, throw the object and repeat. Repeat until your dog will master it.
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It may not be too pertinent to train your dog how to pick up the ball at first. You can try to catch the attention of your dog first and try to make your furry friend look and observe what is going on.
Step 3
Retrieving the toy is usually a hard step. Get the attention of your dog once it has obtained the toy. If it runs towards you and drops the item, immediately reward your dog with treats. Repeat these steps until your dog gets better at it. The repetition will teach your dog correlation with retrieving the toy and being rewarded.
If it does not return the item, try introducing another object. When your dog has obtained the purpose, give it a second toy. Most likely your dog will drop the item it has received. You may need to pull the object to help your dog that it indicates to drop. Give some treats to motivate your dog. Always remember to have a treat close during training sessions.
However, if you are outside such as the yard or a dog park and you forgot to bring gifts with you, don’t panic because you can always reward your dog with the appraisal or verbally. Praise or tell your remarks about the performance of your dog to let them know you are satisfied or happy with their performance.
In this way, you can boost the confidence of your four-legged pal. It will also motivate them more, and most likely your dog will happily pay more attention in your sessions.
If your dog still won’t drop the ball, get the toy from its mouth and move it back and forth or sideways in front of it and throw it away in a couple of inches away from your dog.If your dog runs after it, immediately take it and toss it for another few inches away to keep the game going.
If your dog just stares at it, tease it by wiggling the toy on the ground. It will most likely chase after it again. Repeat these steps until your dog will enjoy this chasing game and reward it. Then you can begin increasing the distance of throwing the item. Once it gets used to chasing after the toy, obtaining it and retrieving back to you, your dog will be eager to participate more or play fetch with you more!
If you are about to throw the toy, you can always utter indicators such as “there you go” or “run after it,” or “go get it” and the list go on as long as you are consistent with using it during your training session or through your tone of voice. Saying these phrases will help your dog determine that you would want to retrieve that toy or object.
Step 4
Once your dog gets the hang of recognizing the toy, obtaining and retrieving it, shake or change things a bit, gradually make things more challenging such as increasing the distance of throwing the toy or alternate the item you toss, or in another place that has a different level of distraction. These small changes can let your dog master each aspect of this trick.
Some trainers incorporate toys that have treats inside it or toys that can stuff the favorite treats. In using these toys in training, once the dog approaches it and sniffs the toy, quickly toss the toy a few inches to start the game or session. Repeat until your dog will learn a fast way to chase the toy.
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Some trainers may say that there is a possibility that your dog can lead to a behavior such as being impatient and may bark until you have thrown the toy or object. It is suggested first to make it settle down and make it calm. Ask your dog to sit or to wait.
Allow it to retrieve the item once it has calmed down. Waiting for a dog to calm down maybe can be comparable to asking a child to settle down. It may take a while, but the polite behavior you just taught your furry friend is worth the wait.
Remember to give your training sessions break from time to time. In a lengthy practice session, your dog will eventually become bored or become distracted. Also potentially it could harm your dog such as training in hot weather. Training under warm weather could lead to heatstroke especially when a source of clean water is not available for your dog.