Success of your dog in such exercise as fetch training will depend on its natural abilities and characteristics of the breed.
For example, dog fetching is an exciting game for a hunting dog, and such breeds will do it almost instinctively. At the same time, German shepherd will be confused during first trainings, and only after a long period of exercising a pet will understand what it needs to do.
Generally all the dog breeds are divided into two main categories: those who like playing and those who don’t. First you should teach a dog to catch a fetch object, drawing dog’s attention to it in different ways. You may throw it forward, or show it to the dog and then take back, or roll the fetch toy on the ground, etc. In the process of this game give the dog a command “Fetch!” each time when a fetch object is in the dog’s mouth. If you see, that a dog starts to catch a fetch toy with great pleasure, you’ve achieved the aim of the game.
After that you need to teach your dog to run towards the fetch toy at your command. You should hold a dog by the collar, if it tries to rush before your command. When the dog catches the toy, give a command to sit in front of you. The dog should be trained “Sit!” command before. Then make the dog let the object out of its mouth with the help of the command “Give!”. In order to achieve this, stroke your dog, then say “Give!” and take your hand to dog’s snout, as if suggesting opening its mouth. Do not demand that your dog completely gives the object to you.
Trying to snatch it from dog’s mouth, you may provoke dog’s possessive instinct, as a result it will clench its teeth even harder. If the dog doesn’t want to give you the object, you can show another object (which you already have with you), and make the dog understand that as soon as the pet gives the old toy to you, you will start playing with the new one. If the dog doesn’t like playing, this exercise will be more difficult. In this situation, you may try to rub the fetch object with meat. Then the dog will have an incentive to catch it, even if not for pleasure.
As soon as the dog catches the toy, call your pet, command “Give!” and treat it with a piece of meat or any other dog treats your pet likes. It will make the dog understand that a well-performed exercise results in a definite reward. Dog fetch training may take quite a lot of time, especially if your dog isn’t inclined to such activities. That’s why you should arm yourself with patience and continue dog fetch training. Important is not to stop halfway.
If you notice that your dog reacts positively on some incentive, which is not specified in the dog training instructions, you should use it with no worry, working out your own training method. The point is that the dog fetches toys with pleasure. If fetch dog training is tiring, boring, or connected with something unpleasant, your work will come to nothing. It’s impossible to make a dog fetch an object, if it doesn’t want to do it itself.
You may be interested in these dog training supplies for your dog fetch training:
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Voice as a Dog Training Instrument