Learning to Play Fetch

**Lennie B.** · 01-30-2006, 11:01 AM

Can a dog be trained to fetch a ball? My six year old Sheltie-Poo does not seem to understand the concept- you can throw a ball right to her (or past her) and she ignores it completely. I'd love to hear from anyone who has trained a dog to play this game.

**Dixieland Dancer** · 01-30-2006, 03:42 PM

Originally Posted by Lennie B.

Can a dog be trained to fetch a ball? My six year old Sheltie-Poo does not seem to understand the concept- you can throw a ball right to her (or past her) and she ignores it completely. I'd love to hear from anyone who has trained a dog to play this game.

Funny you should ask this particular question! I have a Golden Retriever that would not retrieve when he was pup. A retriever who would not retrieve!

I love a training challenge so I set off to teach Dusty from the ripe age of 8 weeks how to retrieve. We have a long hallway that leads to a bathroom and three bedrooms in our house. I would close all the doors and block his way from getting past me in the only opening left. I would toss tennis balls and any thing else I thought he would want to play with. If he showed any interest in the ball at all, I rewarded him with praise or a treat. He didn't catch on for sometime but I was persistant, especially since my husband said it couldn't be done. That made it a double necessity to get him retrieving. Everyday we would play in this hall and every day I would get frustrated. Then I got a big basketball with a rope string and incorporated tug with it. He started catching on! I took that basketball everywhere and would tug and toss (with me retrieving it most of the time). Then it happened!!!! He finally retrieved it back to me (purely accidentally) but I got so excited and jumped around like a nut that he must of wondered... hummm did she do that because I did this? Of course that was our breaking point 6 months after we started trying to get him to retrieve! Now you can't stop Dusty from retrieving for hours at a time, especially with a frisbee! At times it is a nuisance!

It can be done... you just have to have patience, patience and more patience!

**lizbud** · 01-31-2006, 04:32 PM

Some dogs just don't see the fun in retrieving anything.I always just
started by getting their attention & let them see me throw the ball & then
send them to "get the ball". Then you have them bring it back to you.
(A separate command) & sometimes takes awhile for some dogs to catch
on to this second part. If your dog likes playing with a ball himself, he'll
be more interested in playing fetch.

**Lennie B.** · 01-31-2006, 05:13 PM

Thank you for your replies. I'm going to operate on the assumption that Gemma would be interested in playing fetch with me if she understood how the game is played, which right now she doesn't. As a poodle cross, she does have some retriever in her, so maybe the situation isn't hopeless!

**lizbud** · 02-01-2006, 04:29 PM

I don't think breed has anything to do with abilityto play
fetch.I believe it's something to do with prey drive of the dog.
Good luck with your training.

**Pam** · 02-01-2006, 04:40 PM

I don't even really remember how it started but Bella has been fetching and bringing the ball back almost since I got her. I don't remember teaching her at all. I think it was just something that she found fun to do. What I did need to teach her was to drop the ball once she brought it back. Even now, as much as she thrives on playing fetch, she will drop it when she is good and ready rather than instantly.

I got Ripley as a rescue three years ago. He didn't seem to care about running after the ball, let alone bringing it back. I think just watching Bella and me sort of gave him the idea. Nowadays he will fetch and bring it back but he is not very willing to give me the ball. I usually just pull it out of his mouth.

They both enjoy fetching but I truly think Bella would fetch until she literally had no breath left in her body. When I tell her we are done, and I come inside she looks like her world has come to an end. It could break your heart.

**ldyharley** · 03-12-2006, 12:20 PM

Ktreva is correct in teaching a dog to fetch. Some dogs don't have a high prey drive and they don't chase, much less retrieve. Do as Ktreva advises and pretty soon you will have your dog bringing the ball or frisbee back to you. Don't be discouraged if your dog doesn't catch on right away if ever. Dogs aren't born knowing what a ball is or what it's for and they certainly don't know why humans want them to run after it then bring it back. Some dogs will run after the ball but sit there and eat it. My German Shepherd is so obsessed with a couple of his rubber balls that he will literally sit and chew on them for hours if I let him. He will retrieve and leave it but as soon as he thinks the game is over he lays down and begins chewing it. I don't let him choose to end the game. I end it for him.
Another way to teach your dog to retrieve is to put him on a 30 ft. lead, toss a ball or a toy at him then call him to you when he picks it up. Gently 'reel' him in and give the "COME" cue. Praise him when he reaches you. You can teach him to "leave it" during the retrieval training by offering him a really good treat (small pea size liver treat or steak). When he drops the ball to take the treat say, "Leave it". Make sure your free hand is close enough for him to drop the ball into.