Max wouldn't fetch when I got him. So I would throw the ball, then bring him to it. When he got to it I have him a treat. Then, I wouldn't give him a treat unless he touched it. Then, I wouldn't give him the treat until he picked it up. And so on. Now he gets it, picks it up, and comes back to me. But he's not real good about dropping it - so that's what he has to learn next.