How to Teach a Dog to Fetch: Free Tips to Help a Dog Listen

For this Omaha dog training session we worked with Stella, a two-year-old Corgi. Her guardian scheduled this training session with me since Stella does not listen to her guardian. We shared many tips and tricks, including how to teach a dog to fetch.

The guardian’s husband lives in an assisted living facility. Sadly, Stella cannot visit him because of her wild behavior.

Stella saw me coming and started barking before I even had a chance to knock on the front door.

Stella saw me coming to the house because her guardian had placed her in a chair. The chair faced the front of the house. This is a problem for many reasons. First, it shows how the guardian was unintentionally telling Stella to take charge.

Easy Ways to Set Rules and Boundaries with a Dog

Dogs find and fit into a leadership structure anytime they live with others. If you don’t act like a leader through your actions, most dogs will nominate themselves to this position. This was what had happened with Stella and her guardian.

I spent an hour with Stella’s guardian. We talked about how to set rules and boundaries. We also discussed how to enforce them.

The guardian must swiftly enforce these crucial rules. They should do this within 3 seconds, or even sooner. This should happen for the next 3 weeks. This will help the dog learn new behavior.

• Not allowed on furniture until Stella listens and respect the guardian, then only allowed on furniture with permission.
• Stella must drop the ball on her own when playing fetch and sit and wait before her guardian will throw it again.
• Stella should not be within 10 feet of her guardian or guests when they are is eating.
• Stella needs to sit at the door before being let in or out.
• Stella needs to follow her guardian through doors or up or down stairs.
• Stella needs to walk in the heel position instead of in front of her.

How to Teach a Dog to Fetch to Help with Listening

Stella is a young, energetic herding dog. She has a lot of energy. If she does not get enough exercise, it causes behavior problems. Walking is good for leadership, but it is not the best way to exercise a high-energy dog like Stella.

Teaching a dog to fetch is one of the best ways to use up extra energy. The dog can enter their “pursuit” mode and sprint after the ball. I have many clients who take their dog out several times a day. This is especially true when the dog misbehaves or gets into trouble.

Stella had a problem. She didn’t like to drop the ball after fetching it. I spent a few minutes explaining how to teach a dog to fetch and drop the ball.

Now that the guardian knows how to get a dog to fetch, she can use this to tire Stella out. This will make it easier to train, walk, and live with her.

How Exercise and Playing Fetch With a Dog Improves Behavior

Playing fetch with a dog 15 minutes before a walk, before guests come, or before training will help high-energy pups behave better. If it’s too cold or icy to fetch outside, tossing the ball down the stairs is a great indoor option; a doggie stair-master.

I suggested that the guardian keep a journal. In it, she should write down Stella’s daily exercise.

She can note how many times Stella fetched and how many times she fetched each time. Then she should give Stella a grade for that day. Each day, she should change the number of fetches and the lengths of walks.

She needs to find a mix that helps her dog listen and behave better.

ROADMAP to SUCCESS

• Consistently enforce the new rules within 3 seconds by hissing, standing up or marching at Stella until she turns sideways.
• Practice petting with a purpose so that Stella starts understanding she needs to ask for attention instead of demanding it.
• Use passive training to reward Stella when she does desired actions on her own like sit, laying down and coming. Say the command word once “sit” at the same time she starts to pet.
• Avoid petting Stella when over excited such as when returning home.
• Walk Stella with the Martingale collar and special twist of the leash to keep her in the heel position instead of in front.
• Add tin foil to the chair in the front of the house to prevent her from sitting in a sentry position.