Author: Myrah Abrar

Dogs are one of the best companions that a human can have. They play different roles in our lives; from protecting our territories to being the best family dogs, they have earned a very special place in our lives.

Dogs are the most friendly and easy-going creatures; they like to stick to their human and love to play with them. Many people find it difficult to teach different games, like fetch or bringing back a toy to their dog; however, it is quite easy.

We see cute videos of people throwing different things and their dogs bringing them back excitedly. On the other hand, while you throw something in front of your dog for him to fetch, he only stands there staring at what to do. Don’t be worried, though; we have got you covered!

Thinking about teaching fetch to your teacup Yorkie? Here are a few tips and tricks that you can follow to teach your dog how to bring back the toy.

For your dog to play any game with you, he needs to understand the game first. If you throw their favorite toy out in the wild, they know they have to go after their toy, but they don’t understand the second part of the game. They go after their toy but don’t bring it back to you.

Training the second part of the fetch is where the trouble begins and is the area that requires training. Luckily there are different methods of training your dog to bring back the toy to you.

WHAT SUPPLIES ARE RECOMMENDED WHILE TEACHING FETCH TO YOUR DOG?

Dogs love toys, but not all dogs love the same toys. If your neighbor’s Teacup Yorkie loves to play with a ball, it doesn’t mean your German shepherd is destined to play with a ball too. So, bring out your dog’s favorite toy while teaching fetch, and if you are not sure about his favorite toy, bring our different things and let your dog decide. Here are some of the things that you can use;

Balls

Most dogs love to play with balls. You can place balls of different varieties for your dog to decide.

Plush Toys

Dogs love to play with plush toys. Bring the best ones to play fetch with your little companion.

Treats

Treats are a must whenever you are teaching something to your dogs. Make sure to place lots of treats either in the toys (furry pencil boxes are the best ones to use for this purpose) or have them with you to tempt your dog into whatever you are training.

Clicker

Clicker training is the best way to ensure easy communication with your dog. It helps a lot in the early stages of the training. You can also use it to teach your dog how to bring back toys.

Once you and your dog have decided what toy you are going to play with, let’s get to the step where you are going to teach him to fetch. There are different methods of training; the one enlisted below is, however, the most effective way of teaching your dog the fetch game.

THE TWO SAME TOYS METHOD

TOW TOYS

Bring two of your dog’s favorite toys; they can be different toys or the same toys, but they should be the ones that your dog loves the most.

TEACH HIM FETCH

If your dog is not familiar with running after the toys once you throw them, teach them to fetch first. You can do it by confiscating their favorite toy, showing it to them once they come to you to get back their toy, throwing it far away, and your dog will run after the toy to get it back.

WAIT

When your dog goes after his toy, wait for him to come back; if he doesn’t come back with the toy, call his name, open your arms, and show some excitement to come to you running with the toy in his mouth.

HAVE HIS ATTENTION

If your dog is not paying attention to your excitement, it’s time that you put some more effort and exhibit more excitement so that he comes running toward you. Be patient with it, though; change your position and make your voice a bit sweeter to get your dog’s attention.

SECOND TOY

If you have tried every way of having your dog come back to you and failed, it’s time to reveal the second toy. When your dog is not coming back, show his favorite toy or the same toy you used first, and express that you want to make a trade. Your dog will have two possible reactions once you get his attention with the second toy; either he will come running to you to get the second toy while the first toy is in his mouth, or he will just let go of the first toy and start running towards you. Don’t panic if he drops the first toy to fetch the second one.

OFFER TRADE

Once your dog reaches you with the first toy in his mouth, show him the second toy, get the first toy from him, and when your dog comes forward to take the second toy, quickly throw the second toy and shove it off to a far place, and have him running after the second toy.

Repeat the process until you have successfully achieved your mission. Don’t forget to give treats to your dog once he starts to give back the toy and understands what the game is about.

OVER TO YOU!

Training your dog to do different fun activities is not difficult; however, it requires some effort and patience. Dogs love to play; it keeps them healthy and is a necessary part of the routine of dogs that cannot stay idle and need some activity due to their high energy levels. The training period for every dog can be different; make sure you don’t compare your dog with others, and let him have his time to learn new things.