Teaching your dog how to bring the ball back is not very difficult if you have the right training tips. Dogs love to chase balls and it is a great way for them to exercise. Sometimes you may even be able to catch your dog bringing the ball back for you. It is quite impressive how a dog can catch a ball without you having to hold him/her by the scruff of the neck. Here are some dog training tips on how to teach a dog to bring the ball back.
When you go out with your dog, always carry the ball so that you can practice how to catch it as you go along. If you cannot carry the ball by yourself, take someone with you who can. Take the person with you who has more experience so that you can get pointers from them. For example, if you are going to practice with someone who does not catch a ball very often, you can start your training sessions with the other one and continue with the first person after some time has passed.
If your dog tries to bring the ball back on his/her own, give in. Sometimes dogs want to do things that are beyond their control. If you want to test this theory, try tempting your dog with the ball and see how they react. If your dog balks, try another approach or try to catch your dog later on the same day.
Try to set a limit as to how far you will let your dog try to bring the ball. If your dog manages to bring the ball far away, you should praise your dog and make him/her walk beside you until they are at a safe distance. Once your dog has successfully walked beside you, then you can start testing the other approach. If that also fails, try putting the dog on the ground next to the ball, with his/her nose pointed towards the ground.
The idea here is to get your dog used to being next to something that can bring him/her back. If your dog barks, then put the ball under your dog’s tail and tell them to bring it back. Repeat this exercise a couple of times and keep repeating it until your dog has become used to walking beside the ball.
When learning how to teach a dog to bring the ball back, it is important to remember to be patient. If your dog barks, don’t force the issue. Simply remove the ball, put it somewhere safe and begin the training process again. You can try sprinkling some peanut butter or dog food to further entice your dog into moving closer to the object.
Before you begin training how to teach a dog to bring the ball back, you should also have your dog’s personality under control. Training your dog to learn any new task takes time and effort. Try not to get frustrated if your dog barks at every single person that comes by. If your dog barks, simply move closer to him/her until your dog learns to bring the ball forward.
Learning how to teach a dog to bring the ball back is not hard but does take patience and determination. As long as your dog remains enthusiastic and curious, they will eventually learn how to bring the ball to you. Your dog will also thank you for teaching them how to bring the ball in the first place. This way, they do not have to learn how to bring the ball back on their own.
