Fetch

[danenloe12]

Hi,

 

I have not been able to see anything on how to teach a dog to fetch and return the toy. Am I missing it? Or can you develop it?

 

Thanks,

 

Dan

[JMFS]

Hi Dan,

 

Here are a couple questions Adrienne answered that I've seen since I joined, and have used myself:

 

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/forum/showthread.php?69-Retrieving-an-item-(fetch)&highlight=fetch

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/forum/showthread.php?74-Another-fetch-and-drop-query&highlight=fetch

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Hi Dan,

Welcome to the forum!

 

Fetch is one of those things that may be easy as pie to train if you have a dog naturally inclined to retrieve items, or it can be quite challenging and frustrating if the dog isn't predisposed. While fetching a ball is the classic example of the game, it can be virtually taught with any objects and the object can be dropped at the owner's feet, in the owner's hands or inside a container such as a basket. While fetch per se' isn't covered in the course, the Tidy Up brain game is based on the same concept of getting a dog to pick up something and bring it back. The tidy up game is covered here:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/einstein/the-tidy-up-game/

and here you can find how to train a dog to "take"

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/einstein/the-tidy-up-game/

and here how to train drop:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/drop-it/

 

For a good reason the Tidy Up game is placed at the Einstein level of the course: fetch is a combination of several exercises chained together that requires the dog to know first how to pick up an item, bring it to the owner (recalls come handy here) and drop the item with more or less precision depending on where the owners wants the item dropped.

 

Now, as mentioned, there are cases the dog is naturally predisposed to retrieve and in that case things get much easier, but many dogs will just look up at their owners with a clueless, blank stare. The difficulties encountered may likely be why fetch is not typically trained in basic obedience classes, but in some more advanced training classes such as service dog training (dog must be able to pick up dropped items for people with a disability), bird dog training (retrievers must bring back downed fowl) and in the sport of Schutzhund (dogs must retrieve dumbbells)

 

If you are new to training and your dog doesn't appear to be naturally inclined to fetch, it might be best to leave this exercise for now as it may lead to confusion and frustration. Fetch may take several sessions to master and often in a step-by-step approach that may be quite unrewarding in the initial stages. However, if your dog is already trained to pick up items, drop them and you are up to the challenge, feel free to post here for some specific assistance and troubleshooting.

Edited November 3, 2018 by Adrienne Farricelli

[danenloe12]

Hi, I'm not quite new to training. I'm going to take it up a notch with this dog. I'm actually studying your lessons for the rescue dog I am going to get on Nov 14. It is a golden/poodle mix. My last dog was a golden so fetch was easy for her. I'm thinking this dog will have it in her as well. Thanks for the advise.

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Sounds great! That mix sure sounds like good potential. Bless your heart for rescuing. Keep us posted on your progress with her.

Best,

Adrienne