One of the most entertaining games you can play with your four-legged friend is fetching the ball or a toy . Although it may seem trivial, on the contrary it will require a lot of patience, perseverance and teaching skills.
In this article we will explain how to teach your dog how to fetch the ball thanks to 5 tricks that you can easily put into practice.
How to teach the dog to bring the ball back or fetch?
If you are wondering how complicated it is to train the animal for this game, know that your success will depend on several factors:
- First, the age of the animal (if it is a puppy, it will learn faster).
- Secondly, how you teach (possible errors of method).
- Third, patience, consistency and the time you can devote to your friend.
Whether it’s a ball, a stick or another toy, it doesn’t matter. It is extremely funny to see how your dog whizzes on the grass, at full speed, and then returns, obedient and faithful, to you. A game that strengthens the bond between man and animal through joy and that will burn a lot of energy to both.
5 tricks to teach the dog to return the ball
As in any sport or playful activity, obviously perfection is achieved with practice . Don’t be discouraged if your dog will pay you little attention at first. Be persistent, be patient, and remember to use positive reinforcement to help your pet associate his positive behaviors with a reward. Here are 5 tricks to train your dog to bring the ball back :
1. Choose a suitable toy
The first step is to use something your dog loves to bite and loves to play with. If he has a favorite toy, well use this instead of a ball – it’ll be easier for him to bring it back. There are dolls, bones of rubber or rope, frisbees … Choose an object proportionate to the size and age of your dog and of a resistant material, of good quality.
2. Reward and positive reinforcement
Bring some treats, pieces of sausage or dog food with you. Every time your pet performs the required action, you can reward him . Caress it and accompany the prize with phrases such as “well done”, “good”, “very well”. It is important to always keep your promise: if you show a prize to the animal, then you will necessarily have to give it to him.
3. Play in a quiet place
Another trick to teaching your dog to bring back objects is to get his full attention . To do this, just go out together at times when there are fewer people in the park, when in short, the distractions are fewer. The presence of children, motorcycles, cars, music or other will inevitably affect the attention of your four-legged friend, invalidating your teaching.
4. The sequence of the game
Every game has rules. To get your dog’s full attention, first position him so that he is in front of you. Use the classic “sit!” or “lying down!”.
Once you are in front of the animal, show him the toy before throwing it. Once the launch has started, accompany your friend’s action with phrases such as “catch him”, “catch him”, “search”. If the dog remains still, use these commands while signaling the object.
5. Teach the dog to let go of the ball
Once he finally holds the ball tightly between his teeth, call your dog back next to you . Again use simple words: “door”, “here”, “come here”, etc. As soon as he approaches, gently remove the toy from his mouth and reward the animal with the chosen reward. Over time, you can also teach him to leave the object without having to grab it with his hand each time: “spring”, “let go” are the most used commands.
Thanks to these simple tips, you can teach your dog how to bring the ball back and, thus, have fun together in the open air. Repeat these tricks as many times as necessary. Over time, commands and actions will become more and more immediate until your dog shows you the toy every time he wants to invite you to play.
