Member-only story

The Ultimate Guide to Fetching and Retrieving: Obedience Training for Dogs

Corey Green

·15.3k Followers· Follow

Published in Dog Obedience Training: How To Fetch Or Retrieve Dogs Obedience Training

5 min read

94 View Claps

7 Respond

Save

Listen

Fetching and retrieving are two of the most popular obedience training commands for dogs. They're great for mental and physical stimulation, and they can also be a lot of fun for both you and your dog.

Step 1: Teach Your Dog to Sit

The first step in teaching your dog to fetch and retrieve is to teach them to sit. This is a basic obedience command that will help your dog to focus and stay in place while you're giving them instructions.

Dog Obedience Training: How to Fetch or Retrieve Dogs Obedience Training

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	505 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	5 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

To teach your dog to sit, follow these steps:

Hold a treat in front of your dog's nose.
Slowly move the treat up over your dog's head.
As your dog's head follows the treat, their bottom will naturally lower into a sitting position.
As soon as your dog's bottom touches the ground, say "sit" and give them the treat.
Repeat this process several times until your dog understands what you want them to do.

Step 2: Teach Your Dog to Stay

Once your dog has mastered the sit command, you can start teaching them to stay. This command will help your dog to learn to wait in place until you give them the release command.

To teach your dog to stay, follow these steps:

Have your dog sit in front of you.
Hold out your hand in front of your dog's face and say "stay."
Take a few steps back and wait for your dog to stay in place.
If your dog starts to move, gently push them back into a sitting position and say "stay" again.
Gradually increase the distance and duration of your stays until your dog can stay in place for several minutes.

Step 3: Teach Your Dog to Fetch

Now that your dog has mastered the sit and stay commands, you can start teaching them to fetch. Fetch is a great way to get your dog running and chasing, and it can also help to improve their recall skills.

To teach your dog to fetch, follow these steps:

Find a small, soft object that your dog can easily carry in their mouth.
Hold the object in front of your dog's nose and say "fetch."
Throw the object a short distance away from your dog.
As your dog retrieves the object, praise them and give them a treat.
Repeat this process several times, gradually increasing the distance that you throw the object.

Step 4: Teach Your Dog to Retrieve

Once your dog has mastered the fetch command, you can start teaching them to retrieve. Retrieving is the process of bringing the object back to you after they have fetched it.

To teach your dog to retrieve, follow these steps:

Have your dog sit in front of you with the object in their mouth.
Hold out your hand in front of your dog's face and say "drop it."
If your dog drops the object, praise them and give them a treat.
Repeat this process several times until your dog understands what you want them to do.
Once your dog has mastered the drop it command, you can start practicing retrieving by throwing the object a short distance away from them and then calling them back to you with the "come" command.

Troubleshooting

If you're having trouble teaching your dog to fetch or retrieve, here are a few troubleshooting tips:

Make sure that you're using a high-value treat that your dog is motivated to work for.
Be patient and consistent with your training.
Break down the training process into small steps and practice each step individually before moving on to the next one.
If you're still having trouble, consult with a professional dog trainer.

Fetching and retrieving are great obedience training commands that can help to keep your dog active and engaged. With a little patience and consistency, you can teach your dog to fetch and retrieve like a pro!

Dog Obedience Training: How to Fetch or Retrieve Dogs Obedience Training

5 out of 5