Teaching dogs to fetch has been really easy for us. And even luckier; they have always followed us through without a single problem. Here is how they did it:
o With the dog sitting on your lap or standing by you, ask them to sit. As soon as they s sitting, immediately move their body forward and bring them with you to your destination. Once they have been successfully fetching toys, praise them generously and give them a treat for good behavior.
o During the dog training process, always ask them to perform the routine before you get ready to leave the house. This will ensure that they know what to expect when you get home. For instance, your dog fetch training might start by walking her on a leash outside and then letting her find the object that you want her to fetch. After this, you can move on to using the leash to bring her to you without any struggles.
o Never use your entire hand while picking up the toy. Instead, use only your heel or the part of your arm that is not injured during the act of dog tossing. Continue to toss the toy to your dog using a low, excited voice. Praise her profusely and tell her that she is a good girl when she brings the toy back to you. Continue to do this at least four times before giving her a treat.
o During the actual training process, always make sure that your dog doesn’t know that you are doing anything else than trying to enjoy her company. Your dog will get frustrated by the fact that you are trying to train her and won’t be able to relax. When this happens, she will unconsciously pull on the leash and even bite at it. This is why training must be done in an open space. If your dog were in your home, you would never have to worry about such a thing happening.
o Always remember that praise is the most important reward that you can give your dog. Whenever your dog completes one trick successfully, immediately place the treat in her mouth. Then immediately say “good dog!” and give her a hug.
As mentioned earlier, force-fetch is a great training method for small puppies because they are more eager to please their masters. However, force-breaking a mature dog is not recommended. Force breaking a large dog, like a big Labrador Retriever, might backfire as he might become more stubborn and push you away. This might cause psychological problems to both you and your dog. When force-breaking a big dog, owners resort to punching or shaking the pup in order to get his attention.
Playing fetch with your dog requires a lot of patience. You have to spend a lot of time training your dog in order to have her learn to play fetch. Make sure that you do not overdo anything, and the rewards should be immediate. Do not give your dog lavish gifts when he does play fetch properly, and do not punish her if she does not perform the trick correctly. By learning these pointers, you will be on your way to enjoying more beautiful times with your pet dog.
One of the easiest methods to train your dog to lie down and catch it is by tossing the Frisbee. The Frisbee is the most popular toy among dog lovers. With Frisbees, you can throw the disc the dog will immediately lie down to catch it. Make sure to toss the disc very close to the dog’s mouth. This will lead the dog to learn the position very fast.
Another method on how to train your dog to lie down and catch the Frisbee is by using treats. Take a wide bowl filled with treats and throw the toy into the bowl without letting it touch the ground. This way, the dog will learn that it should hold onto the toy to get a treat reward. You can use treats such as cheese, liver, or chicken. After repeatedly doing this, your dog will eventually grasp the concept that it has to hold the treat in order to get a reward.
Lastly, make sure you reward your dog right away if it picks up the toy on the right side of your body. If your dog drops it, say “no” immediately. Do not yell at your dog as it will confuse it. Also, make sure you praise the dog for every time it catches it.
